4. Dispatch will gather more information as first responders are en route. Stay on the line until first responders arrive to help dispatch with any directions and other details. At at recent Monday Coffee Public Education Officer Joshua Odom gave a presentation on calling 911. Here are the key points: • When should I call 9-1-1? When you see smoke or fire When someone’s life and/or property is in immediate danger. When a crime is being committed. When a rescue or emergency medical assistance is needed. When you are not sure, call and let trained personnel decide the appropriate response. • What happens after I have called 9-1-1? 1. Citizen calls 9-1-1 2. Dispatch receives call and requests information and location of emergency. 3. Appropriate first responders are dispatched to the location of the emergency. 5. First responders arrive on scene and begin to assess/respond to emergency. 6. Follow instructions by the dispatcher when to hang up. • I called 9-1-1 and got disconnected, what should I do? If you have called 9-1-1 and while providing dispatch information you get disconnected, wait a minute to let the dispatch attempt to call you back. Do not call immediately call 911 again - this will place you at the end of the queue and may connect you with a different dispatcher. If after a minute, you have not been called back by dispatch then again dial 9-1-1 and let the dispatcher know that you were disconnected previously. If you are unable to reach 9-1-1 dispatch after calling back, find another phone to call 9-1-1. • I called 9-1-1 by mistake. What should I do? Stay on the line and state that the call was a mistake. Answer any questions from the dispatcher before terminating the call. If you disconnect the call or do not speak to the dispatcher, they will assume the worst and send first responders to your location Helping responders find you! • After you have called 9-1-1 and first responders have been dispatched to your location, our next step is ensuring that they can find you. Even with the advanced GPS technology that our apparatuses are equipped with, having your address displayed prominently and visibly from the street is imperative to a timely response. • To ensure that your address can be seen from the street ensure that any bushes, tree limbs, or other vegetation that may have covered your house numbers are properly pruned or trimmed. • Follow the Lake Ashton ARC requirements for house and mailbox numbers. These requirements are consistent with Polk County Fire Rescue guidelines. 16
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