Many of us know to call 911 for life-threatening emergencies. However, 911 receives a significant amount of calls from people who think they have an emergency, when in reality, it’s just a small problem.
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for people to call 911 to complain that their cable or electricity is out, wanting answers as to why traffic is slow on a highway, or to ask for directions. For some of us, an emergency may be a lost pet or a lost wallet, but these are not urgent situations where a police officer, firefighter, or ambulance can assist.
It’s important to know that these types of calls to 911 slow down help for real, life-threatening emergencies and potentially create a backlog in the system. The rule of thumb for when to call 911 is simple…911 is for in-progress, urgent and dangerous situations where an immediate response from a public safety agency is necessary to protect life or property.
If you have any doubts about calling 911, please call if you think you have an emergency. Our highly trained telecommunicators will quickly ascertain the situation and dispatch the appropriate help if warranted.
Given the community need for a way to report an event that doesn’t rise to the level of life-threatening or in-progress emergencies, the Durham Emergency Communications Center sternly encourages you to use the non-emergency number of (919) 560-4600 as an ideal way to report non-emergency problems or concerns – thus ensuring our 911 lines are free for people who need immediate help.
Pop quiz time! Which one of these types of issues rises to the level of a 911 call and which should go to the non-emergency number?
1. It is 1:30 (either a.m. or p.m.), and there’s been a dog barking a few houses away, for almost an hour.
2. You notice a strange car parked in your neighbor’s driveway.
3. A man jumps over your fence and runs across your yard.
4. You come home from work and notice that your flower pots on your front porch are missing.
5. Your neighbor across the street has decided to play music to the loudest decibel possible for hours on end.
Any suspicious activity as noted in #2 and #3 above would be a 911 call. However, #1, #4, and #5 should be dialed to the non-emergency number of (919) 560-4600. All incidents reported through the non-emergency line are tracked the same as if the call was received on the 911 lines since the calls go directly into the center. The center still tracks the information and reports it to the appropriate agency.
Some of the above examples are actual calls that resulted in significant outcomes for improving this community.
1. In the first example, the barking dog prompted a non-emergency call to 560-4600. That resulted in the owner learning his dog was deaf and required special handling. It also resulted in our Police Department learning the house was full of drugs and guns and the owner was promptly arrested.
2. In the second example, the strange car in the neighbor’s driveway belonged to a professional thief, suspected in 70 cases, who’ll likely be convicted of more than half of those.
3. In the third example, the 911 call resulted in the capture of a knife-wielding, wanted criminal suspect.
As citizens of Durham, we are the eyes and ears of our police force and we do make a real difference. As such, we shouldn’t hesitate to report emergencies to 911 and other issues that affect our quality of life to the non-emergency number of 560-4600.
To learn more about our 911 Center, tune in to “CityLife” on DTV8 throughout October or watch it on-demand at www.durhamnc.gov/dtv8/CityLife.cfm. You can also visit the City’s Web site at www.durhamnc.gov/departments/911 to learn more about this department and how we can help our dispatchers respond faster and better.
Remember, don’t call 911 to complain about loud music, but if that slow moving van has circled your block twice, don’t wait for the third time to let them know.
Bill Anderson
Jim Soukup, Director, Durham Emergency Communications Center