911 Emergency Calls
When you call 911, you're connected to a dispatcher trained to manage emergency situations and send help quickly. Understanding what to expect during the call can make a stressful moment more manageable, helping ensure the right assistance is dispatched efficiently.

HOW CALLING 911 DISPATCHING WORKS
Dispatching Emergency Services
Another 911 Dispatcher communicates to first responders in the field. 911 Dispatchers are aware of all calls as they are entered into the CAD system. Appropriate resources are dispatched to each call. The 911 Dispatcher maintains contact with units in the field and coordinates the response of specialty units such as K9, SWAT, and detectives.
Examples of 911 emergencies include fire, a crime in progress or one that has just occurred, and medical crisis.
Processing Emergency Calls
When you call 911, you reach a 911 Dispatcher. It’s their job to evaluate your call and determine the type of response required, all while keeping you calm in what may be a stressful and frightening situation. They enter your call information into the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system for routing to the appropriate sector for deployment.
Let the 911 Dispatcher
Guide the Conversation
WHEN A 911 CALL IS MADE WITHIN GRANT COUNTY, DISPATCHERS WILL ASK YOU:
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To confirm the location of the emergency.
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To confirm the telephone number from which you are calling.
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Questions to provide the fastest and most accurate response to your call for help.
Please be patient and answer all questions to the best of your ability. Answering questions will not slow down the dispatch of your call.
Speak Clearly and Be Aware of Your Surroundings! Let the 911 dispatcher guide the conversation. Thier questions will lead to faster dispatch.
How to Properly Utilize 911 Emergency Services

WHEN YOU SHOULD CALL 911
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Crimes in-progress or crimes where the suspect is still in the vicinity
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Traffic accidents when parties involved are still on-scene
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Hit-and-run traffic accidents
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Any crime involving bodily assault
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Any domestic violence crime
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Threats or immediate risk to life or property
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Theft or intentional damage to property with at least $10,000 in loss or damages
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Motor vehicle (licensed for the road) theft
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Bomb, terrorist, or hate-bias threats or acts
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Burglary (entering a structure with the intent to commit a crime, theft, or damage to property)
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Suspicious persons, vehicles, or circumstances when in-progress suspects are still in the area
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Emergency medical needs
DO NOT CALL 911 For
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Directions or phone numbers
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Information about animal control issues unless the animal has bitten someone or is currently acting aggressively
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Information on someone in jail or to find out if someone is in jail
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Issues that are not of a police, fire, or medical nature. Refer to the government pages of the local telephone directory for the appropriate number.
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Reporting a crime after the fact (vehicle prowling, vandalism, custodial interference, harassment, etc.) that does not require an officer/deputy at the scene
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For safety-related information. Do an internet search or refer to your telephone book for the business number of your police and fire departments for safety-related information
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Questions relating to power, cable, or telephone outages. Instead, contact your local utility provider.

WHEN CALLING 911:
Never Call 911 and Hang Up
If you accidentally dial 911, do not hang up. Let the 911 Dispatcher know that you accidentally called; otherwise, the 911 Dispatcher will attempt to call you back, and if unable to reach you, will trace the call and dispatch police to the location in an attempt to identify the emergency. This ensures that a caller who is incapacitated or unable to communicate with the 911 Dispatcher can receive help.
Never Make a Test Call to 911 without Prior Permission
You must receive permission from the Communications Center before making a test call. Test calls, as well as other non-emergency calls, occupy the 911 Dispatcher and tie up the phone lines and equipment, making them unavailable for people in real emergency situations.
HOW TO AID IN THE PROCESS WITH 911 DISPATCHERS
Try to Remain Calm
It’s stressful to call 911, no matter the reason. Remember, the person on the other end of the line is a 911 professional with hundreds of hours of training who knows just how to handle your call, and who has access to get you the help needed.
Know Where You Are and Your Telephone Number
Your location and phone number are critical pieces of information. If you do not know the exact address, provide a hundred block, an intersection, or a landmark to help the 911 Dispatcher understand where you are located.
Answer the Questions Asked
Don't worry that additional questions are slowing down the dispatch of emergency responders, as they are not. As soon as the 911 Dispatcher has basic minimal information from you, they will start the dispatch, even as you answer other questions.
Be Descriptive
When providing information about an incident, be as descriptive as possible. You may be asked to give identifying information about persons and/or automobiles involved in a situation.
Confirm Critical Information
Although the 911 Dispatcher receives basic information based on the telephone from which you are calling, the information comes from a computer database. It is possible that the database could be in error, or that what you are reporting is not at the same location as the telephone you are calling from. For these reasons, the 911 Dispatcher is required to confirm the correctness of the location of the emergency and the telephone number you are calling from.
Help Keep Lines Available
Equally important, when the 911 Dispatcher has finished taking your information, please release the 911 line as soon as possible. As an Emergency Communications Center, we have to balance the competing needs of getting enough information, dispatching with the most speed possible, and making ourselves available for the next 911 call. It is very important that callers help us keep the lines as available as possible so that all emergency calls can be answered as quickly as possible.
Stay on the Line
Depending upon the type of call, we may keep you on the line for additional information or to receive instructions.
ARE YOU PREPARED FOR AN EMERGENCY?
Post
Post your address and phone number near your phone, so they can be read by anyone using the phone in an emergency.
Illuminate
Make sure your house number is visible at night from the street and is clearly posted on the curb where your driveway joins the main road.
Educate
Instruct your children and their caretakers on the proper use of 911, and make sure they know where to find your address and phone number.
