Do's and Don'ts for 9-1-1


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DO'S AND DON'TS FOR 9-1-1

DIAL 911 ONLY FOR AN EMERGENCY

An emergency is:
Any serious medical problem (chest pain, seizure, bleeding)
Any type of fire (building, car, brush)
Any life threatening situation (fights, person with weapons, etc.)
Any crime in progress (whether or not a life is threatened).

When you dial 911, be prepared to answer the following questions:
WHAT happened?
WHERE is the exact location of the emergency?
WHAT is the current condition of the victim?

9-1-1 Emergency Examples
Someone breaking into your home now or one of your neighbors' home.
Shootings
Fires
Traffic injury accidents
Person screaming
Child choking
Fights or displays of weapons

When the dispatcher answers your 911 call

Try to stay calm and speak slowly.

Briefly describe the type of incident you are reporting.

Answer any questions the dispatcher has including confirmation of your name, address and telephone number. Dispatchers have been trained to ask questions that will prioritize the incident, locate it and dispatch an appropriate response. Your answers should be brief and responsive.

If you are not in a position to give full answers to the call-taker (the suspect is nearby), stay on the phone and the dispatcher will ask you questions that can be answered "yes" or "no."

Do not hang up until the dispatcher tells you to. In some cases, the dispatcher will keep you on the line while the emergency units are responding to ask additional questions or to obtain ongoing information.

NON-EMERGENCY CALLS

Use the administrative line (334-241-2651) to report non-emergency incidents such as crimes not in progress such as property thefts or vandalism. You should also use the non-emergency telephone number for cars blocking the street or driveway, non-injury auto accidents not blocking the street or other events not requiring an emergency response.

Non-Emergency Examples
A Non-Emergency call is simply a request for police service that is not a life or death situation.

Abandoned vehicle
Vehicle Collision in a parking lot
Loud party
Barking dog
Vandalism
Late reported calls

911 MISDIALS

If you dial 911 in error, DO NOT hang up the telephone. Instead, stay on the phone and explain to the dispatcher that you dialed by mistake and that you do not have an emergency. If you hang up, police officers must be dispatched to the caller's address. This will needlessly take resources away from genuine emergencies.