The enhanced 9-1-1 system has been operating in Savannah since 1986. All local telephone numbers in Chatham County, including pay phones, are included in the system.
Approximately 700,000 calls are processed each year in the 9-1-1 Center. The system provides many benefits to citizens who need an emergency response from police, fire or emergency medical personnel.
WHAT THE SYSTEM CAN DO
SELECTIVELY ROUTES CALLS:
Two Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) exist in Chatham County, The Savannah Chatham Metropolitan Police Department and the Tybee Island Police Department. The system is designed to determine which police and fire departments respond to a caller’s location, and routes the call to the 9-1-1 communications center that dispatches for these departments.
AUTOMATIC NUMBER AND LOCATION IDENTIFICATION:
When you call 9-1-1 from a wire line (landline) phone, the phone number and location you are calling from automatically display on a screen at the 9-1-1 center. If you are unable to give your location, the call taker will know where you are and can send help. If you move and maintain the same phone number, you must contact the communications center coordinator at 912-652-6550 to update your information.
Calling 9-1-1 from different types of phones
USING A HOME or SIMPLE BUSINESS PHONE
When you call 9-1-1 from a basic wire line/landline phone, the phone number and location you are calling from automatically display on a screen at the communications center. If you are unable to give your location, the call taker will know where you are and can send help.
USING A CELLULAR PHONE
If you are dialing 9-1-1 from a wireless phone carrier, your location information may not be provided to emergency operators. Please be prepared to provide your exact location if you are dialing 9-1-1 from one of these phones.
- Most cell phone calls can be traced to the nearest cell tower, but it is helpful if you can tell the 9-1-1 call taker your specific location. Check for nearby building addresses or street signs.
- If you call 9-1-1 from home but use a cell phone, your address will not be visible on the call taker’s screen.
- Always lock the keypad when not in use to avoid accidental 9-1-1 calls. You may also want to consider deactivating any one-button function keys to dial 9-1-1, especially if you have a non-flip style phone.
- If you do accidentally call 9-1-1, please don't hang up. Stay on the line and tell the dispatcher you misdialed.
- Do not leave your cell phone where it can be accessed by children. Do not allow old cell phones to be used as toys; cell phones without a service plan will still dial 911.
USING INTERNET or BROADBAND (VoIP) PHONE
If you are dialing 9-1-1 from a non-traditional phone carrier your location information may not be provided to emergency operators. Please be prepared to provide your exact location if you are dialing 9-1-1 from one of these phones. Before signing up for a VoIP/Broadband Phone, we encourage you to read all 9-1-1 information so you clearly understand the 9-1-1 capabilities of VoIP/Broadband Phone service.
USING A BUSINESS PHONE EXTENSION
Obtain an outside line (usually by dialing “9”) Then dial 9-1-1. Sometimes large companies or office buildings have PBX system phones. A PBX phone system is a multi-line/multiple phone system. This is important to know because the correct address may not accurately display when calling 9-1-1 from these phones. It is important to give the calltaker the name of the office building or complex, numerical address if available, suite number, name of a contact person and a telephone number where they can be reached in case the calltaker needs to call you back for additional information.
USING A PUBLIC PAY PHONE
All 9-1-1 calls from public payphones are free. Just lift the receiver and dial 9-1-1 to be connected. |