Crime Prevention Month: When to call 9-1-1
Make the Right Call in Montgomery County, Maryland
When to call 9-1-1:
ONLY TO REPORT EMERGENCIES to Police, Fire/ Rescue, and to request an ambulance -- Available 24/7
Any life-threatening situation - fights, weapons, personal-injury vehicle collisions
A sexual assault that is in progress or has just occurred
An immediate fear for your personal safety or the safety of others
A serious crime in progress - robbery, burglary, assault
Any type of fire
Any serious medical problem that requires an ambulance or other immediate medical response
What should you (the caller) do when you call 9-1-1:
Remain calm and speak clearly
Be prepared to answer where, what, when, who, and how
Let the call taker ask the questions
Stay on the phone if it is safe to do so, or until the call taker advises you to hang up
If the call requires transfer to another agency, stay on the line. You may hear a series of clicks as the transfer occurs.
Understand that if the 9-1-1 center is extremely busy and your call is not answered within approximately 15 seconds, you will hear a recording indicating that operators are busy. The tones that follow the recording support devices for the hearing impaired. Stay on the line, do not hang up and call back.
What you’ll be asked when you call 9-1-1:
The location of the emergency – the exact address, intersection, place name (for example shopping center, school, hotel, etc.)
The nature of the emergency (what is going on right now, description of people and/or vehicles involved, any weapons involved, how long ago did the incident occur)
If it is a medical emergency you will be asked questions about the patient’s physical condition
Your (the caller’s) name and telephone number – a request to remain anonymous will be honored
Whether you want an officer to respond to see you
To be prepared to follow any instructions the call taker gives you. Call takers can provide step-bystep information about what to do until help arrives.
If you inadvertently dial 9-1-1 – DO NOT HANG UP:
Stay on the phone and advise the call taker that you mistakenly dialed 9-1-1 and that you do not have an emergency.
If a 9-1-1 call is abruptly disconnected, the call taker will attempt to call the number back.
If a caller does not confirm whether or not there is an emergency, police may be dispatched to the location from which the call was made.
To prevent inadvertent calls to 9-1-1, keep phones out of reach of toddlers and small children.
Use your phone wisely. Responding to unnecessary calls needlessly burdens the emergency call taker and the system, leaving the call taker unavailable for true emergencies.
When to call the Police Non-Emergency Number 301-279-8000:
TO REPORT LESS SERIOUS CRIMES, not to ask informational questions -- Available 24/7
A noise complaint
A parking violation
A property damage traffic collision where there is no personal injury
Loose or barking dogs
To report that you were a victim of a crime that is not in progress
To report a suspicious person, vehicle, or situation
When to call 3-1-1:
TO RECEIVE NON-EMERGENCY INFORMATION ABOUT MONTGOMERY COUNTY GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES --M-F 7 a.m. - 7 p.m., closed weekends and holidays – A website, www.MC311.com is available 24/7.
The County will announce when the MC311 Center has been activated outside of regular hours to take informational questions during emergencies such as hurricanes, winter snow storms, etc.
For Ride On bus information
To discuss your Montgomery County property tax bill
For recycling and trash pick up information
For road and pothole repairs
For building, construction, and zoning information
To schedule construction permitting inspections
For Health and Human Services Information
To reach the MC311 Center from outside the County call 240-777-0311.
Special Caller situations: Deaf/hearing/speech-impaired callers
9-1-1 and 301-279-8000 are equipped with the TTY/TDD interface
For TTY at the MC311 Center, call 301-251-4850
MD Relay service is available by dialing 7-1-1
For more information on MD Relay, go to www.mdrelay.org
English as a second Language:
Montgomery County subscribes to a Language Interpretation Service that is available for 9-1-1, 301-279-8000, and 3-1-1.
When language interpretation is needed, callers will be connected to the language interpretation service. When conferencing the interpreter in to the call, the caller may hear a series of beeps and tones. Do not hang up. Stay on the line until all three parties are on the phone together.
The Interpreter will ask the caller questions, then translate to the call taker. The call taker will then ask the interpreter questions to ask the caller.
IMPORTANT: Currently, 9-1-1, 301-279-8000, 3-1-1, and 240-777-0311 are not equipped to accept text messages.
Inticancha Navajo Princess Lily, Kentlands, Gaithersbrug, Maryland IMG_6527
Photograph by Roy Kelley, Canon PowerShot G11 Camera
Roy and Dolores Kelley Photographs
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