Barry County Emergency Services E911

When Should I Call 9-1-1?

Is there a threat to life or property?
Are you or someone else the victim of a crime?
Do you have a police emergency?
Do you or someone else have a medical emergency?
Do you need the fire department?

If the situation seems urgent and has a potential to become dangerous, Call 9-1-1

What If I Call 9-1-1 Accidentally?

If you accidentally dial 9-1-1, do not hang up. Stay on the line and tell the dispatcher that everything is alright. If you don't, the dispatcher may think that something is wrong. The dispatcher will call you back, if there is no answer law enforcement may be sent to your location to check on your well being.

What will Dispatchers ask when I call 9-1-1?

Dispatchers use protocols that will prompt the dispatcher what to ask dependent on the answers that are provided.

What is the address of the emergency?

This is the address where the emergency is actually happening. If you don't know the actual address, tell the dispatcher and provide some of other details below:

Give cross streets
Provide landmarks, business names or parks near the emergency
Look for a house number in the area
If you are calling from inside a home or business, look on a piece of mail

When asked for a location, we need you to be specific.

What is the phone number you're calling from?
This is the number to the phone you're actually calling from. We need this in case we have to call you back.

What is the description of the suspect?

Start with the most obvious things. Some examples include:

"He was a white male."
"He/she had a gun."
"He/She was at least 6 feet tall."
"He/She was wearing a bright red jacket."
"He had a long brown beard."

What is the description of the vehicle?

Like with the suspect, start with the most obvious details. Some examples include:

License plate information, including the state
Color
Year (If unknown, tell the dispatcher if it was a new or old vehicle.)
Make (Was it a Honda? Nissan? Ford?)
Body style (Was it a 4-door? Hatchback? Pick-up truck?)
Other things you may remember about it

Tell us exactly what happened.

Be as concise as possible. Tell us what the problem is now, not what led up to the problem.

"I see a fight on the corner of 6th and Main."
"There is a car accident on Highway 39 north of Highway 76."

Why do Dispatchers Ask Several Questions During a Medical Emergency?

Two or more dispatchers handle every medical call. While one dispatcher is asking very specific questions, the other dispatcher is already sending out help. You will be asked a series of questions that will help determine the response of the units responding to the call. The responding units will be better prepared to help the patient with the information you have provided.

What is the location of the emergency? (Where are the responding units needed?)
Tell me exactly what is happening (with the patient right now).
How old is the patient? (If you don't know, say so and then give a guess of the age.)
Is the patient conscious and breathing?

The dispatcher will provide you with some instructions for keeping the patient safe and comfortable until the responding units arrive. Follow the instructions given to you by the dispatcher.

If I Call to Report a Fire, what do I tell the Dispatcher?

You should be prepared to answer questions like these:

Where is the fire?
What is on fire?
How large is the fire? (This is only an estimate, think about the size of the fire in relation to something common: the size of a living room, the size of a football field, bigger than a grocery store parking lot.)
Are there any structures threatened? Are there flames moving close to any homes or buildings?
Do you know if anyone is inside the house or building?
Do you know if anyone is hurt?

While you are answering these questions, the dispatcher's partner is notifying the appropriate fire departments and getting help on the way.

If I Call 9-1-1 or Central Dispatch, why do I get Asked to be placed on Hold?

The same dispatchers who answer the 9-1-1 calls also answer non-emergency calls for service and handle radio traffic for all law enforcement, fire and EMS agencies in Barry County. When the dispatch center is busy, the dispatchers may have to place non-emergency callers on hold while they answer the 9-1-1 calls or handle priority radio traffic. Every effort is made to get back to you as quickly as possible, and your patience and understanding is appreciated.