9-1-1 EDUCATION

What is Enhanced 9-1-1?
A computerized system, which displays the phone number and location of 9-1-1 callers. This system allows communications personnel to know where a call originates from, even if the caller cannot speak. Even if the number you are calling from is unlisted or unpublished, the information will still be displayed. Enhanced 9-1-1 for cellular telephone calls is not yet available so it is very important to make sure to state the location of the emergency, nature of the emergency, who is involved and your cellular telephone number. When calling from a cellular telephone be aware of your surroundings, look for landmarks and when driving stop at a safe place and then place your call to 9-1-1.

Who Answers My 9-1-1 Call?
Your call is routed by the phone company, to the Public Safety Answering Point at Northwest Bergen Central Dispatch, where it will be answered by a Public Safety Communications Specialist.

Are the Telecommunicators Trained to Help Me?
Yes! Before being assigned to take 9-1-1 calls, each Telecommunicator Recruit undergoes 180 hours of mandatory classroom and hands-on training, under the supervision of a trainer. Telecommunicators then undergo many additional hours of training to enable them to perform other tasks, such as police or fire dispatching. In addition, all Telecommunicators are trained in Emergency Medical Dispatch to deliver pre-arrival instructions on how you can help before emergency units arrive.

When should you call 911? Calls to 911 should be reserved for emergencies such as:
A serious medical emergency (chest pains, seizures, bleeding, etc.)
Any type of fire (structure, vehicle, brush, etc.)
Any crime in-progress (robbery, burglary, prowler, fights, etc.)
Any other life threatening situations (traffic accident with injuries, etc.).

How Much Does It Cost to Call 9-1-1?
Calling 9-1-1 from all telephones in the state of New Jersey is free. Calls made from your home, business, cellular phone and all pay phones are free when you dial 9-1-1.

What Should I Say When I Call 9-1-1?
Immediately state the nature of your emergency. Say you are reporting a fire, an accident, a burglary or whatever the case may be. From there, let the Public Safety Communications Specialist ask the questions. They will want to verify your location, phone number and name. They will also ask questions regarding your situation, such as the name and description of any other persons involved and other pertinent information. Please be patient. Help is on the way, even while you are talking with the person taking your call.

The Problem
You will be asked a series of questions, which are extremely important to the proper handling of the call. These may include:
Is anyone injured?
How long ago did the incident occur?
Were there weapons involved and if so, what type?
Did the suspect flee, and if so, which direction?
What was the mode of transportation, a car, bike or on foot?
If a vehicle was involved, what was the description and what was the direction of travel?
What was the physical description of the suspect?
What was the clothing description?

Although these may seem like an unreasonable number of questions during an emergency, they are very important to emergency personnel. For example, if a burglary has just occurred and the suspect flees, the officers have a much better chance of apprehending the suspect if they have a good description of the suspect and the direction that was taken. More important, if the incident in question involved a weapon, the life of the Officer may depend on the information given.

One common misconception of Public Safety Communications is that Telecommunicators wait until finishing the call before sending help. During a true emergency, the Telecommunicators work as a team. One remains on the line with the caller and passes on information to another Telecommunicator, who dispatches Police Officers, Firefighters or other emergency personnel.
It is very important that you stay on the line during a call to 911. The Telecommunicator will continue to ask you questions while the police are en route.

What should I do if I call 911 by mistake?
If you call 911 by mistake, DO NOT HANG UP. Stay on the line and explain that you do not actually have an emergency. Everyone makes mistakes and there is no penalty for accidentally dialing 9-1-1. If a caller to 911 hangs up without stating the problem, the caller must be contacted in order to ensure that no actual emergency exists. This may involve the dispatching of police officers to your home or place of business in order to ensure that a problem does not exist.

If I need the police, but it's not an emergency, what number do I call?
If you need the police, but it is not of an emergency nature, please call our non-emergency line at (201) 652-3900 for Ridgewood Police or (201) 652-3800 for Glen Rock Police. Examples of calls that should be placed to the non-emergency line are:

Minor traffic accidents, which do not involve injuries.
Loud music or barking dogs.
Late reported incidents such as a theft with no suspect information.
Requests for information.
If you are in doubt about whether your situation is an emergency; then play it safe and call 9-1-1.