Emergency Calls

When most Snohomish County citizens dial 9-1-1 it is SNOPAC call takers and dispatchers who answer the telephone. We will confirm with you the location where police, fire, or medical responders are needed. We will also ask other questions as needed. Please be patient and answer all questions to the best of your ability. Answering questions is not slowing down the dispatch of your call!

• Let the operator guide the conversation.
• It is stressful for most citizens to call 9-1-1 for any reason. Try to remain calm. Once you are talking to a 911 operator, you are talking to a professional with hundreds of hours of training, who knows just how to handle your call, and who has access to all appropriate services.
• Don’t worry that additional questions are slowing down the dispatch. As soon as the call taker has basic minimal information the dispatch will be started, even as you answer other questions.
• Depending upon the type of call, we may keep you on the line for additional information, or to receive instructions.
• There is no charge to call 9-1-1.

Almost all home and business telephone calls to 9-1-1 will display a name, address and telephone number to the 911 operator. Cellular telephones provide only the caller’s telephone number. In some cases general location information is included. Technology is fast on the way to provide more accurate location information on cell calls using GPS technology and computer mapping capabilities.

Although the operator receives basic information based on the telephone from which you are calling, the information comes from a computer database. It is possible that the database could be in error, or that what you are reporting is not at the same location as the telephone you are using. For these reasons, the operator is required to confirm the correctness of the information with the 911 caller.

Equally important, when the call taker has finished taking your information, please release the line as soon as possible. As an Emergency Communications Center, we have to balance the competing needs of getting enough information, dispatching with the most speed possible, and making ourselves available for the next call. It is very important that all callers help us keep the lines as available as possible so that all emergency calls can be answered as quickly as possible.

Non-Emergency Calls

While some police stations will take walk-in reports, most citizens must use 911 for non-emergency reporting. SNOPAC is proceeding with research to determine efficient ways to report non-emergency incidents.

At the present time a citizen calling 911 for a non-emergency may be requested to hangup and call 911 at a later time. This enables operators to keep lines open for emergencies.