Douse 9-1-1- for the dispatch of Police, Fire or Medical help.
Do teach your children or grandchildren how to use 9-1-1 wisely in case of an emergency. If a parent or relative is sick or unconscious. If the child is lost and can find a telephone or pay telephone, If a strange person is bothering the child or friends. If the child or another child is injured.
Do use pay telephones or cell phones to report crimes in progress. (The 9-1-1 call is free)
Don’tcall 9-1-1 when the power goes off or the weather is threatening. Call the utility company or monitor television or radio for weather and emergency information.
Don’tcall 9-1-1 in an emergency and hang up before it is answered. If the call is disconnected we will have no information and will not be able to send help.
Don’tlet your cordless phone battery run down away from the charger. Some cordless phones send out a false 9-1-1 signal when they are in a discharged state.
Don’t call 9-1-1 to test it. One of our dispatchers will have to take time to verify if you have an emergency. This wastes valuable time he/she could be using to answer a real emergency call.
Don’t call 9-1-1 to get information on special events such as concerts, parades, fairs etc. Please use administrative telephone numbers or watch local media.
Don’tcall 9-1-1 to check on school closings or event cancellations due to weather. Monitor radio or television as they have access to the most recent information.
Don’tplay with 9-1-1 or make false calls. It is a violation of the law, punishable by fine or imprisonment.
Don’t give inactive cell phones to children as toys unless the battery has been removed. These phones can still call 9-1-1 and tie up the emergency lines.
