When police, fire, or medical
emergencies occur, 9-1-1 can help save precious time. Your
call is answered by a trained emergency call taker who will
provide you with the assistance you require. You can also
dial 9-1-1 from your cellular phone. The call is toll free.
What
is an Emergency?
An emergency is any situation
where there are people or property at risk. Examples include
fires, crimes in progress or medical emergencies.
What
You Should Know When Dialing 9-1-1
- At home, you can dial 9-1-1
direct
- At a business or other location,
you may need to dial an outside line before dialing 9-1-1
- At a pay phone, dial 9-1-1.
This is a free call. When using a cellular phone be prepared
to give the exact location of the emergency. This is also
a free call.
- For TTY access (Telephone
Device for the Deaf) press the spacebar announcer key repeatedly
until a response is received.
- Wire line or
land line 9-1-1 calls in the City of Toronto are accompanied
by electronic data when they reach our call takers. This electronic
data includes your telephone number and civic address. This
means that if the connection is lost or the caller cannot
speak, help can still be dispatched.
- In the case of
cellular calls, electronic data with location information
is not automatically available to the call taker. It is up
to the caller to describe the exact location of the emergency.
- If you have a
choice between using a wire line phone or a cell phone to
call 9-1-1, the wire line should always be your first choice.
The connection is more secure and the location data is available
automatically.
Does
Your Cellular Provider offer Enhanced Wireless Service?
-
The technology is available in the Toronto
9-1-1 network today to provide the 9-1-1 call taker with the
callback number of your handset and the address of the cellular
tower that picked up the signal. Both pieces of information
can be useful tools to assist the 9-1-1 call taker in getting
help to you more quickly. This service is known as Wireless
E9-1-1. Even with this additional data, it is still up to
the caller to describe the exact location of the emergency.
- Not all Cellular
Service Providers offer this enhanced service, in spite of
collecting a monthly 9-1-1 access fee.
- Companies such
as FIDO (Microcell) and Bell Mobility have the Wireless Enhanced
9-1-1 Service deployed City Wide.
- Check with your
Cellular service provider to find out if they offer Wireless
Enhanced 9-1-1 on your behalf.
What
You Should Know If You Only Have Cellular Service at Home
- If you or someone
you know has decided to give up their wired phone at home
in favour of cellular only, we recommend the following precautions.
- Always be aware of where you
have placed your handset. You want it to be easily found (by
yourself and/or visitors) at a moment’s notice, at all
hours of the day.
- Always ensure your handset
has a fully charged battery. You may feel safer leaving it
powered on at all times, ready to dial at a moment’s
notice.
- Understand that even though
you are in your home, your home address is not displayed to
the 9-1-1 call taker. Be prepared to provide this information
verbally.
- Ensure your carrier has current/accurate
subscriber information on file.
- Understand that some of the
common problems with cellular calls do not go away just because
you have dialed the digits 9-1-1. Voice transmissions can
become distorted and/or interrupted just like any phone call
you may place from your cell phone.
Do
Not Pre-Program 9-1-1 Into Your Phone's Speed Dial Function
Each day our
9-1-1 emergency call takers deal with a high percentage of
false cellular 9-1-1 calls. On sets pre-programmed to dial
9-1-1, keys are often accidentally pressed, setting off unintentional
9-1-1 calls. Consumers unknowingly tie up 9-1-1 telephone
lines, unnecessarily tying up the resources of emergency responders
and causing a negative impact for true emergency calls for
help.
Language
Line Services
In 1991, the Toronto
Police Service contracted the capabilities of Language Line
Services, in order to assist Communications Operators at the
9-1-1 Centre (Communications Centre) to manage calls for service
from citizens who do not speak English. This is an over the
telephone line interpretation service. Since the inception
of the Language Line Service, it is being utilized more than
200 times per month to assist in the management of calls from
citizens who do not speak English. Language Fact: Approximately
6,700 languages are spoken in the world today in 228 countries.
*
* Ethnologue,
Languages of the World, Thirteenth Edition, Barbara F. Grimes,
Editor, Copyright © 1996-99, SIL International.
What
You Can Do To Help 9-1-1 Help You!
- Remain calm and speak clearly.
- Identify which emergency service
you require (Police, Fire, or Ambulance) and be prepared to
provide the following: what is happening what is the location
what is your name, address, and telephone number.
- Please remain on the line
to provide additional information if requested to do so by
the call taker.
DO NOT HANG UP UNTIL THE CALL TAKER ADVISES YOU TO DO SO.
- Remember, it is important
to have your house numbers visible from the street. This will
assist emergency responders in locating you as quickly as
possible.
What
To Teach Your Children About 9-1-1
Do your children know how to
get help in an emergency?
- Teach your children how and
when to get help from 9-1-1.
- Teach your children their address
and telephone number as soon as they are able to learn.
- Keep it posted by all phones
in case they are unsure.
- Tell your children to answer
all of the emergency call takers' questions and stay on the
phone until they are told to hang up.
- Teach your children about the
dangers of making prank 9-1-1 calls.
What
Are The Dangers Of 9-1-1 Prank Calls?
Prank 9-1-1 calls
waste time and money and can also be dangerous. If 9-1-1 lines
or responders are busy with prank calls, someone with a real
emergency might not get the help that they need.
What
Is NOT An Emergency?
It is not an emergency
when the situation is not dangerous and immediate action is
not necessary. Do not call 9-1-1:
- For information about
school closings, road conditions, directions, etc.
- For directory assistance.
- For information about paying
parking tickets.
- When you're bored and just
want to talk.
What
If Your Complaint Is Not An Emergency?
If your complaint
is not an emergency dial 416-808-2222, the non-emergency number
for the Toronto Police Service. Use 416-808-2222 for non-emergency
calls such as parking complaints, a noisy party, or lost and
found articles. You can use your cellular phone for non-emergencies
by dialing *TPS. In non-emergency situations the AT&T
Language Line Service is available for non-English speaking
callers (over 140 languages). The non-emergency number 416-808-2222
and *TPS calls are answered by an "auto attendant".
The "auto attendant" allows touch tone phone users
to self direct their call. Callers with a rotary phone and
those callers that choose the "Zero Out" option
are answered by a switchboard operator to connect your call
(From
the Toronto Police Services)
|
