Communications

›› 911 is for emergencies or things that could become emergencies.

• To stop a crime in progress.
• To report a fire of any kind.
• To report an injury or serious medical problem.
• To report a traffic accident.
• To report any situation where a prompt response is required to protect life or property.

If the situation seems urgent and has the potential to become dangerous, call 911. Dispatchers will determine whether your call should be handled by 911 or can be transferred to another person or agency. All other calls should be directed to our non-emergency number: (801)451-4150.

›› If you accidentally dial 911, 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 and send a police officer to check.

›› Emergency dispatchers need to get accurate information to allow officers to make the best decision on how to approach the situation. Dispatchers handling fire and paramedic calls must also consider the well-being of the public and the safety of the firefighters and paramedics. Callers will be asked:

• Where
• What
• Who
• When
• (maybe) Why

The information you provide a dispatcher is relayed to responding officers, paramedics or firefighters while they are on their way to the call.

›› 1. What is the location 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 then:

• Give cross streets.
• Provide landmarks, business names or parks near the emergency.
• Look at the house numbers 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.

Also, if the suspect just left (such as a theft suspect), we need to know which way that suspect went and a description of how he looked.

If you are asked to describe a suspect, start with the most obvious things.

Some examples are:

• "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."

If you describe a vehicle, 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.

2. 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.

3. What is the problem?

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 1000 W and 1700 S, and give the City name"
• "I am fighting with my husband."
• "There is a car accident southbound on I-15 at the Kaysville off-ramp."

We also need to know if you’re going to be at, or near, the scene when we arrive. The police may need to talk to you or you may need to point out the exact location. We may ask you what kind of car you are in or what color clothing you are wearing.

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

• What is the location of the emergency? (Where is medical help needed?)
• What is the phone number your are calling from?
• How old is the patient? (If you don’t know, say so and then give a guess of the age.)
• Is the patient conscious?
• Is the patient breathing?
• Tell me exactly what is happening (with the patient right now).

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

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You should be prepared to answer questions like:

• 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 any structures threatened? Are there flames moving close to any homes or buildings?
• Do you know if anyone is inside the housing or building?
• Do you know if anyone is hurt?

While answering these questions, the assigned fire station(s) is/are being dispatched.

›› The same dispatchers who answer the non-emergency calls for service for all law enforcement agencies in Davis County also answer the 911 calls. When the dispatch center is busy, the dispatchers have to ask non-emergency callers to hold on while they answer the 911 calls. Every effort is made to get back to you as quickly as possible, and your patience and understanding is appreciated.

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YES! You should not call 911 to report any of the following.
Always use the non-emergency number 801-451-4150.

• Power Outages
• Telephone Problems
• Questions about road conditions/weather
• Click here for other agency/department phone numbers

›› YES! The 911 Center utilizes Language Line Services to translate 911 calls from non-English speaking customers. This service translates approximately 173 languages from all over the world!

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