CALL 9-1-1 USING LANDLINES

Landlines are the best way to contact 9-1-1 because a call taker can automatically determine your phone’s location and number. If you call 9-1-1 from a landline in a large office or building, make sure to specify exactly where you are in the building.

CALL 9-1-1 USING CELL PHONES

When you call 9-1-1 using a cell phone, it is especially important that you give the location of the emergency and the number you are calling from. You can make emergency 9-1-1 calls using a charged cell phone even if the phone doesn’t have an active service plan. To avoid accidental ‘pocket’ calls, always make sure that your phone is locked when not in use.

CALL 9-1-1 USING VOICE OVER IP

If you use VoIP to contact 9-1-1, call takers can automatically determine the address associated with the computer you are using. It is important to keep a current service address registered with your VoIP provider.

CONTACT 9-1-1 USING TEXTING

If you need to text 9-1-1 it will be important to provide your location and the nature of your emergency as clearly as possible using simple plain English. Avoid using abbreviations or text jargon as it may cause confusion delaying the emergency response. The 9-1-1 call taker will ask you standard emergency questions. Text to 9-1-1 service is not available in all areas, the cell phone must have a texting plan through the carrier and normal charges may apply.

CALL 9-1-1 USING TTY/TDD

Specialized teletypes (TTY/TDD) are devices that allow deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired individuals to communicate by actually typing messages. All 9-1-1 call takers have TTY/TDD capability and will ask you the standard emergency questions using the device. Services currently do not support cell phone texting.

CALL 9-1-1 USING Vehicle Telemetry

Common vehicle telemetry services include Onstar, RESCU, OnCall, Assist, TeleAid and Command. All of these services use a combination of telecommunication and informatics, which provides information to a mobile source or car. Telematics systems often combine GPS, voice recognition and cellular technology with onboard electronics.

If you use vehicle telemetry to contact emergency services, miscommunication can occur, and the speed of the response may be slow due to the relay of your information from the service’s operator to Emergency 9-1-1. It is important to be as clear as possible when providing your location and the nature of your emergency.

Vehicle telemetry operators are not certified Emergency 9-1-1 operators.