Emergencies include crimes that are in progress or about to happen and ones that have resulted in serious personal injury, property damage, or property loss. They also include situations in which the suspect may still be at the scene and some suspicious activities. By calling 911 you will be linked to the appropriate police as well as fire fighting, medical, and ambulance services. You don’t need money to call 911 from a payphone.
911 Emergencies
Some examples of crime emergencies that should be reported by calling 911 are:
Burglaries and robberies
Child and elder abuse
Domestic violence
Fights, sexual assaults, etc.
Flashlight beam in a business or home, especially if the business is closed or the residents are away
Graffiti and other acts of vandalism in progress
Hit and run accidents with possible injuries
Homicides
Ongoing dumping of fuel or other hazardous substances
Persons under the following conditions:
Carrying or wearing bloody clothing
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
Entering a neighbor’s home when the neighbor is away
Exhibiting unusual mental or physical symptoms that poses a threat to him/herself or others
Forcing an entry of a home, business, or vehicle
Removing property from a business, home, or vehicle, especially if the business is closed or the residents are away
Struggling with a resisting child
Trying to or actually using a vehicle to pick up a person by force, especially a child or female
Road hazards that require immediate attention to prevent personal injuries and property damage
Runaway juvenile or missing person who needs special care - be sure to tell the operator if the person needs medication and has a special problem, e.g, Alzheimer’s disease
Sounds of gunshots, screaming, barking dogs, breaking glass, explosions, alarms, etc.
Vehicles containing weapons or property not normally kept in vehicles
911 Calls from Wireless Phones
Until recently, 911 calls from cellular phones were answered by the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSP). OSP, in turn, transferred calls that were not freeway related to the appropriate jurisdiction for a response. In the last five years, the State of Ohio has mandated that cellular phone companies modify their technology to route calls to the appropriate agencies. The larger cellular phone companies have met the established standards and can now send their calls to any agency ready to receive them.
GPS Ready Phones
In order for this service to work properly, callers need to contact their service provider to determine if they have GPS ready phones. They also have to set their telephones to “location” in order for the GPS module to pass along the caller location. Citizens should contact their service providers for detailed instructions.
Tell the Operator Your Address
Wireless callers should not assume that the police will receive their exact location. When making a 911 call from a cellular phone, they should stay on the line and advise the dispatcher where they are calling from. At this early stage, testing has shown the GPS data is not exact enough to ensure emergency personnel will be able to locate the caller.