9-1-1 Call Processing
When you call 9-1-1 in Chelan or Douglas County, a RiverCom Telecommunicator answers your call and will begin gathering information to evaluate and determine what type of response is required. The Telecommunicator will enter your call information into a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system and routes the call to the appropriate agency(s) for response.
If the call involves emergency medical response, a Telecommunicator may provide the caller with pre-arrival medical instructions. In situations which may involve cardiac arrest, the Telecommunicator may work with the caller to provide telephonic CPR instructions until emergency medical responders arrive on scene.
Telecommunicators also monitor radio traffic and maintain contact with first responders in the field. When a call is entered into the CAD system, a Telecommunicator dispatches available resources and coordinates a response for air support, SWAT and Special Response Team (SRT).
Prioritization of Calls
It is our goal to quickly, professionally, and effectively answer all requests for service and to provide dispatch, notification, and communication services for the citizens and agencies we serve.
1. Receive and respond to emergency calls for service
Our primary focus is to quickly answer and process emergency requests for service, to properly screen those requests and effectively dispatch resources to address the emergency.
When to call 9-1-1?
9-1-1 lines are RESERVED for emergency only - situations requiring immediate law, fire or emergency medical assistance. Emergencies include, but are not limited to, the following types of incidents:
-
- Life-threatening situations
- Fires
- Medical situations or injury requiring emergency medical attention
- Crimes in-progress or crimes when the suspect is still in the area
- Any crime involving bodily assault
- Any domestic violence crime
- Motor vehicle accidents with personal injury or major damage and the parties are still on scene
- Hit-and-run traffic incidents
- Burglary (entering a structure with the intent to commit a crime such as theft, damage to property, etc.)
- Motor vehicle theft
- Theft or intentional damage to property with at least $10,000 in loss or damages
- Suspicious persons, vehicles or circumstances when in-progress or suspects are still in the area
- Bomb threats, terrorists or hate-bias threats or acts
- Hazardous chemical spill
- Natural gas leaks
- Smoke detector or carbon monoxide detectors sounding
- Sparking electrical hazards
- Smoke in a building
- Suspicious activity
- Dangerous, threatening animals
- Other similar types of dangerous or threatening situations to life and/or property
2. Operate paging and communication systems to notify appropriate personnel of mission specific information and to provide the public with notification of specific emergencies and conditions.
3. Answer and respond to non-emergency calls for service
4. Receive reports and information on tip lines
When NOT to call 9-1-1
- Loss of power or telephone service
- When looking for directions or telephone numbers
- For information about animal control issues, unless the animal has bitten someone or is acting aggressively
- Questions about traffic tickets
- Inquiries about school openings and closures
- Water problems, water outages, or water discoloration
- To report county and/or city issues that are not of a law enforcement, fire or medical nature. Refer to the government pages of the local telephone directory for the appropriate department number
- Request for 911 records or to make a request for public records (contact our administrative office)
- 9-1-1 lines should not be used for information or questions about road conditions or weather events
- 9-1-1 lines should not be used for directory-types of services
Tips for calling RiverCom 9-1-1
Be prepared to provide the Telecommunicator with the following information:
- The location of the incident
- What is happening
- Your name, address, and telephone number
- Stay as calm as possible
- Speak clearly
- Briefly state the problem
- Know where you are; if you are unable to provide an exact address, provide a block number, an intersection or cross street, a landmark, a mile-marker, or any other cue that can help the call-receiver understand or locate where you are.
- Answer the Telecommunicator's questions; answering questions does not delay response - while questions are being asked, Telecommunicators are entering information into a computerized dispatch system and are coordinating response
- DO NOT HANG UP until the Telecommunicator advises you to do so or if it becomes dangerous for you to stay on the line
- When providing information about an incident, be as descriptive as possible. You may be asked to give identifying information about any persons or vehicles involved in the situation or you may be asked to stay on the line to give additional information to first responders
- Inform the call receiver if you do not want your name and/or address disclosed
- Inform the call receiver if you do not wasn't your name given out to responding units
- Inform the call receiver if you want to be contacted directly by law enforcement officers or first responders
- If the situations changes after you've disconnected with the Telecommunicator and before help arrives, call 9-1-1 again and then give the Telecommunicator an update
- TTY users may press any key after dialing 9-1-1 to indicate that a TTY is being used
- We take all 9-1-1 calls seriously. If you call 9-1-1 and then hang up (either on purpose or by accident), a Telecommunicator will attempt to return your call
- Teach children to use 9-1-1 properly
- DO NOT program automatic dialing-announcing devices to call 911 in an emergency
- For non- English speakers, your call will be connected with an interpretive service; please stay on the line while your call is being connected
Premise Contact Information
It is important to update our files with the most current contact information for your business. This information will be used to notify you of any problems at the location after hours. Please complete the form below in its entirety to provide us with the best resources possible to contact a responsible person in the event of an emergency.