Since 9-1-1 was introduced to Mendham, it has led to speedier responses to emergencies. However, there are a few details about 9-1-1 that you should be aware of:
For ANY EMERGENCY, dial 9-1-1
- If you require the assistance of the police, fire department or first aid squad, dial 9-1-1. Calmly and clearly answer the dispatcher’s questions, including your name, location and type of emergency.
- If you accidentally dial 9-1-1, don’t hang up!!! Stay on the line and explain to the dispatcher that you have made a mistake.
- Anytime 9-1-1 is dialed, the call will ALWAYS go through to the Morris County Sheriff’s Communications Center. It does not matter if you hang up the phone – your name, address and phone number are displayed on the 9-1-1 terminal. A dispatcher is required to call you back to verify if there is an emergency. Please stand by and answer the dispatcher’s questions. Simultaneously, a police officer is dispatched to personally confirm that no emergency exists.
- See our “Contact Us” page for our non-emergency number
Dialing 9-1-1 from a cell phone
When dialing 911 from your home, or a land-based line, your call will go directly to Morris County’s Dispatch Center. There a dispatcher will answer your call and will be able to dispatch the Mendham Fire Department, First Aid Squad or Police Department to your location. Dialing 911 from your cellular telephone is different:
- Your cell phone call may be routed to a State Police Dispatch Center, even if you are calling from inside Morris County. (It has to do with what tower you cell phone signal reaches and where that cell phone tower routes the call through.) Our local Dispatchers will be contacted by the State Police with the information you provide, so be specific.
- Your Cell Phone number and carrier will appear at the 911 center when you call 911. Always give us the Cell Phone Number you are calling from.
- When calling 911 know your EXACT location. (Unlike land based 911 where we can located you by the address.)
- When calling 911 from a Cell Phone that has been disconnected, the 911 center will not receive the cell phone number and will not be able to call the cell phone back since it is disconnected. You must let the 911 dispatcher know that you are on a cell phone that is disconnected. You also must know your EXACT location. (You can still dial 911 from a disconnected cell phone.)
Text to 9-1-1
The State of New Jersey Office of Emergency Telecommunication Services in cooperation with Verizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint and a select number of Public Safety Agencies have been able to implement Text to 9-1-1 on an interim basis.
‘Call When You Can… Text When You Can’t.’ A voice call made from a wireline or cell phone is preferable but in the event that you cannot do so you can send a Text to 9-1-1. This permits the sending of SMS text messages to 9-1-1 when a voice call is not possible or practical. For more information visit http://www.nj.gov/it/911/index.shtml
Featured Image via nj.com
