We are here to help you
Emergency: 911
Non-Emergency: 303-288-1535
In the event an emergency arises and you need to call 911 we are here to help. Due to the sensationalism of crime TV and movies there are many common misconceptions which have been raised causing the general public to believe we know things we do not when we take your calls, such as knowing your location when you call in from a cell phone. This is simply not the case. Below are some common misconceptions and how it really works when we answer your 911 calls.
***Please be advised the contact us form and commendation form in the contact category of this website is not monitored 24/7. If you have any emergency please call 911. For any other non-emergency matters, information or anonymous tips please call our non emergency line at (303) 288-1535.
If we do not know where you are, we can't help you!
If reporting an emergency from a cellular phone, it is important we have as much location information as possible, including city name, street names, direction you are traveling (i.e., north or south) and nearby landmarks (i.e., a shopping center or restaurant), so emergency responders can locate and provide assistance more effectively. If you do not know where you are, neither do we. Help us, so we can do what we do best and help you.
Information we need when you call
- Current location
- Your phone number
- What is happening
- What do you see
- When did the incident occur
- Are there any injuries
- Descriptions of any people or vehicles
- Whether or not you want contact from officers
Answer the dispatcher's questions, do not hang up until the dispatcher has what they need to get you help and listen carefully to our instruction. We are trained to ask specific questions in order to help you and get you assistance as quick as possible. We will prioritize your call based on rankings determined by Adcom911. The calls are then dispatched in order of emergency. Emergency calls always take priority and are dispatched first.
Should you accidentally call 911, do not hang up. Just let us know you accidentally dialed because it saves us more time if we know it was an accident right away versus us taking the time to call you back to make sure you are okay when there may be someone calling in with a real emergency.
911 Hang Ups and Pocket dials
To date, Adcom911 has received approximately 25,000 pocket dials to our 911 dispatch center over the last year and those numbers are steadily rising. Should you accidentally call 911, do not hang up. When a call is placed to 911, it is still routed through to 911 even if you hang up. Please stay on the line and let us know if you accidentally dialed or pocket dialed. Otherwise, we will call the number back to make sure you are okay and this can waste valuable time for others who are calling in need of emergency assistance.
Additionally, many people allow their children to play with cell phones they no longer use as a toy. This has caused a dramatic rise in calls to 911 with a small child being the voice on the other end which ties up the 911 lines until we can determine if it is an emergency or not. If you are going to allow a child to play with an old cell phone, please supervise them while they are playing with it so you can make sure they are not calling 911.
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Landline Phones, Business Phones and Internet (VOIP) Phones
Landline Phones
This is your best choice when calling 911. The phone’s address and number will always be displayed for the 911 dispatcher.
Business Phones
These private phone systems may not interface with 911 to provide automatic location and number identification and routing features. Also, a caller usually needs to dial “9” for an outside line on most business phones. Dial carefully; many accidental 911 calls are received from businesses that have to dial “9” and then “1” for long distance.
Internet (VOIP) Phones
Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, phone service allows you to make and receive calls using an Internet connection. You may not even realize that you no longer have landline phone service because many providers simply call it “home phone service.” It’s usually bundled with internet and cable service.
VoIP works differently when calling 911. Consider these critical factors regarding internet phones:
- A VoIP phone location must be registered. Check with your service provider on how to register your address and to determine the level of emergency calling features available.
- If your phone is not registered, 911 calls may not go to the correct 911 center.
- When the power is out, so is your phone. VoIP requires power. Even though VoIP phones have batteries, they will only last a few hours.
- If you travel with your VoIP adapter, your 911 call could be routed to the wrong state or country if you don’t remember to update the address. Call from another phone, preferably a landline.
- Be an informed consumer. When considering switching from traditional landline service to VoIP, be sure to read the fine print. Realize that the 911 service you have come to rely on may not work the same with this new phone service.
Text-to-911
It is the ability to send a "short message" (SMS) or other kind of text message to 911. But if you are able to make a voice call to 911, and if it is safe to do so, you should always make a voice call to 911.
When Text-to-911 becomes available for the areas in which Adcom911 serves it will be announced accordingly.
For more information go to: What You Need to Know About Text-to-911