Dial 9-1-1 only for an EMERGENCY
An emergency is any serious medical problem (chest pain, seizure,
bleeding), any type of fire (business, car, building), or any
life-threatening situation (fights, person with weapons, etc.). You are
also urged to use 9-1-1 to report crimes in progress, whether or not a
life is threatened.
Do not dial 9-1-1 for a non-emergency
Instead, dial the department at 928-635-4461. A non-emergency
incident is a property damage accident, break-in to a vehicle (when
suspect is gone), theft of property (when suspect is gone), vandalism
(when suspect is gone), panhandlers, intoxicated persons who are not
disorderly, or cars blocking the street or alleys and animal calls that are non-life threatening.
Do not program 9-1-1 into your auto-dial telephone
You won't forget the number, and programming the number invites accidental dialing of the number. Also, please do not dial 9-1-1 to "test" your phone or the system. This needlessly burdens the dispatchers and system with non-emergency calls.
If you dialed 9-1-1 in error, do not hang up the telephone
Instead, stay on the line and explain to the dispatcher that you
dialed by mistake and that you do not have an emergency. If you hang up,
a dispatcher will call back to confirm that there is no emergency. If
you don't answer, a police officer or deputy (County residents) must be dispatched to
confirm that you are OK. This will needlessly take resources away from
genuine emergencies.
Briefly describe the type of incident you are reporting
For example, "I'm reporting an auto fire," or "I'm reporting an
unconscious person," or "I'm reporting a shoplifter." Then stay on the
line with the dispatcher---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
on-going information.
Let the call-taker ask you questions
They have been trained to ask questions that will help prioritize the
incident, locate it and speed an appropriate response. Your answers
should be brief and responsive. Remain calm and speak clearly. 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."
Be prepared to describe your location and the location of the emergency
Although an Enhanced 9-1-1 system will display your telephone number
and location, the dispatcher must confirm the displayed address or may
ask you for more specific location information about the victim or
suspects.
If you are a cellular caller, your telephone number and location may not be displayed for the dispatcher's reference
You must be able to describe your location so emergency units can
respond. Be aware of your current city or town, address, highway and
direction, nearby cross-streets or interchanges, or other geographic
points of reference. Cellular 9-1-1 calls are frequently routed to a
central PSAP that could be many miles from your location. Be prepared to
give the dispatcher your complete location---city or town, address or
location, inside or outside, what floor or room, etc.
Be prepared to describe the persons involved in any incident
This includes their race, sex, age, height and weight, color of hair,
description of clothing, and presence of a hat, glasses or facial hair.
Be prepared to describe any vehicles involved in the incident. This
includes the color, year, make, model and type of vehicle (sedan,
pick-up, sport utility, van, tanker truck, flatbed, etc.). If the
vehicle is parked the dispatcher will need to know the direction it's
facing. If the vehicle is moving or has left, the dispatcher will need
to know the last direction.
Be patient as the dispatcher asks you questions.
While you are answering the dispatcher's questions, he/she is
entering or writing down the information. If you are reporting an
emergency, most likely a response is being made while you are still on
the line with the dispatcher.
Listen to the dispatcher's instructions for assistance if you are in danger yourself
The dispatcher may tell you to leave the building, secure yourself in a room or take other action to protect yourself.
Don't hang up until the dispatcher tells you to
Follow any instructions the dispatcher gives you, such as meeting the
officers at the door, or flagging down the firefighters at the curb.
Give the victim reassurance that help is on the way. Secure any dogs or
other pets that may interfere with the emergency response. Gather any
medications the patient is taking and which the medical crew will need
to take with the patient.