JEFFCOM 9-1-1 Serving Jefferson County Washington

How to use 911

EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
Emergency Service......Dial 911
Non-Emergency Services.....Call (360) 385-3831 ext 1

In addition, a Telephone Device for the Deaf (TDD) is used to assist hearing-impaired callers. You must call 911 or 385-3831 ext 1 for this service.

The communications center is the heart and nerve center  of every police, fire and rescue agency.  It's virtually the only link between those in need of assistance and those who provide it.

EMERGENCY SERVICE – "When should I call 911?"

What is an Emergency?

• Any serious medical problem (chest pain, seizure, bleeding)

• Any type of fire (business, car, building)

• Any life-threatening situations (fights, people with weapons, etc.)

Any time you find that you have no personal control over a situation, and not able to help yourself or someone else, or the situation is potentially dangerous, you should call 911.

The Communications Officer is responsible for answering 911 (emergency response) and 385-3831 x1 (non-emergency response) phone calls. Communications officers not only process 911 calls, but also interface with police, fire and rescue responders. When you dial 911, your call is answered immediately. To ensure that you receive the kind of help you need, the Communications Officer will ask you specific questions such as, WHO? WHAT? WHERE? WHEN? HOW? and, depending on the situation, WHY? It’s important to listen to the Communications Officer and answer the questions asked.

DESCRIPTIVE INFORMATION
 

Cellular Phone Users: Cellular phones do not work the same way as regular phones.
If you dial 9-1-1 from a cellular phone , please remember: Stay calm. We will not receive your exact location , and what you tell us may be the only information we will have to find you.

Know where you are. We need location information from you, and we have to determine if you are within our police jurisdiction. If you are not, we will have to transfer the call.  In the age of cell phones most traffic collisions are reported by cell phone.  In the event of a major traffic collision the 911 center may get numerous calls reporting the same incident, if you call 911 to report an  accident and your call is not answered promptly, stay on the line, do not hang up.  If you hang-up the 911 operator must then try to call you back.  When you report a traffic collision you will be asked to describe the vehicles involved.  In the photo to the left you simply need to say a black car and silver car.  The vehicle description is important because we will receive many calls reporting the same accident, however we must ask each caller for a vehicle description so we can determine that the caller is not reporting a new incident.

Before you call 911 to report an accident, take a second to think about where you are, in some cases it may be better to drive to the next mile marker and then call 911.    All State Highways and County Roads have mile markers.  Try to take note of the address on a nearby mailbox or the name of a nearby business.  If all else fails tell us where you came from and where you're were going - just be aware that the first thing will will ask is "where are you".    

NON-EMERGENCY RESPONSE SERVICE  "When should I call 385-3831 ext 1"?

Situations that are not life threatening, where you or someone else are not likely to be hurt, will normally be non-emergency calls where a report may be taken over the telephone, such as:  

• Accidents (minor fender benders) no injuries
• Property damage (when suspect is gone)
• Break-in to vehicle (when suspect is gone)
• Theft of property (when suspect is gone)
• Vandalism (when suspect is gone)
• Panhandlers (not disorderly)
• Intoxicated persons (not disorderly)
• When police, fire or medical response is needed, call 911 or 385-3831

Please call 911 Director, Donna Hamlin at 360-385-3831 if you have concerns, questions or suggestions about the 911 Communications Officer's quality of service.

For police, fire or ambulance call 911
Traffic questions? Please dial 511 on your cell phone, not 911.  
For information please dial 411 not 911
 Cell Phone service questions?  please dial 611  not 911
 

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