9-1-1
Questions
WHEN
SHOULD YOU CALL 911?
WHAT
HAPPENS WHEN YOU CALL 911?
WHAT
HAPPENS IF I ACCIDENTALLY CALL 9-1-1?
WHAT
HAPPENS WHEN YOU CALL 9-1-1 ON A CELL PHONE?
WHEN
SHOULD YOU CALL 911?
9-1-1 should be used only during an emergency, but what constitutes
an emergency? Emergencies are events that are an immediate threat
to life and/or property. Examples of this are a person having a
heart attack, a person choking, any crime in progress, such as a
burglary or robbery, traffic accidents, and others of a serious
nature. There are many things not included in this list, but just
remember to use common sense when dialing 9-1-1.
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WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CALL 911?
A trained 9-1-1 Emergency Operator will answer and begin asking
important questions. It is imperative that the caller remains calm
and listens to the questions being asked. The Emergency Operator
will confirm the address and phone number with the caller and ask:
What happened? When did it happen? Who did it? What does the person
or vehicle involved look like? Which direction did the person or
vehicle go? The more information given, the quicker and more efficient
the response will be. Remember that you are talking to the 9-1-1
Operator. Help is on the way, so do not hang up until the 9-1-1
Operator tells you to do so.
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WHAT HAPPENS IF I ACCIDENTALLY CALL 9-1-1?
If you dial 9-1-1 accidentally, stay on the line and tell the Dispatcher
that you have dialed incorrectly. Do not hang up! All calls to 9-1-1-
need to be followed up and confirmed that an emergency does not
exist. When you hang up, the Police Dispatcher or Police will attempt
to contact you via the phone or by sending an Officer to your residence.
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WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CALL 9-1-1 ON A CELL PHONE?
With the fast-paced life we lead today, it is not a surprise that
the cell phone is replacing the traditional “home” phone. With
the increased use of cell phones, comes the subsequent increase
in 9-1-1 calls placed from those cell phones.
| The
Port Hueneme Police Department recently upgraded its 9-1-1
equipment to keep pace with modern technology. Up until a
few months ago, when a person called 9-1-1 from a cell phone
they reached the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The CHP
would then handle the call, if it was in their jurisdiction,
or transfer it to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
Now, when you dial 9-1-1 from a cell phone you should reach
the local law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction in
the area that you are calling from, if your cell phone is
equipped with “GPS”, Global Positioning System. |
|
The
major cell companies that have already switched over to the new
system are Verizon,
Sprint, and Nextel. Cingular, Team Mobile, and AT&T will be
switching over within the coming months.
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