Civic Addressing

Enhanced 9-1-1 service is provided in Grey County. This service automatically provides a caller’s phone number and address to the 9-1-1 operator. You can make calls during power outages, because land line phones don’t require power from within the home. (Cordless telephones do not work during power outages)

Cell phones aren’t associated with a fixed address so it’s hard for 9-1-1 operators to pinpoint the location of the call. When a wireless 9-1-1 call is made, the wireless carrier connects the call to the call centre serving the area where the call was made.

Wireless Enhanced 9-1-1 service is provided in areas that receive Enhanced 9-1-1 service. With Enhanced 9-1-1, wireless carriers use Global Positioning System (GPS) and/or Triangulation technology to identify a 9-1-1 caller’s location (generally within 50 to 300 meters of the cell phone). The emergency call and the caller’s location are automatically transmitted to a 9-1-1 call centre serving that area.

If you have a cell phone but are not subscribed to any service, you can still dial 9-1-1 in an emergency and receive basic wireless 9-1-1 service. You will have to provide your location.

Remember, you cannot send text messages to 9-1-1.

A VoIP phone uses the internet.  Although it may look like a landline, it doesn’t use Enhanced 9-1-1 service to provide a location.  Please consider the following for emergency calls:

• Make sure your location information is up to date with your service provider. The operator may assume that you are at the last registered address if you are not able to speak during a 9-1-1 call.
• You cannot make 9-1-1 calls with a VoIP phone during power or internet outages.
• If you have a choice between using a landline, a cell phone or a VoIP phone to call 9-1-1, the landline should be your first choice.
• If you do not have a landline, write down your exact address where it can be accessed or viewed easily.

Every 9−1−1 call is taken seriously. When a caller doesn’t respond, that could be a sign of trouble. If you have called 9−1−1 accidentally, do not hang up. Let the operator know it was a pocket dial. If you hang up, an operator will call back to confirm that there is no emergency. If you don’t answer, a police officer will be dispatched to confirm that you are okay. This takes resources away from others emergencies.

Ensure children are informed on the importance of only calling 9-1-1 for real emergencies.

When you’re not using your mobile device, turn it off or lock the keypad

Do not program your mobile device to automatically dial 9-1-1. If your mobile device is pre-programmed with the auto-dial 9-1-1 feature turned on, turn the feature off.

• When it is a life-threatening emergency situation: car accident with injuries, medical emergencies, fire, attacks, gunshots
• When a crime is in progress: fights, break and enters, or reporting an impaired driver
• When a crime has just occurred: robbery, assault
• When a crime is about to happen: prowler or vandalism

• Reporting a crime with no suspect: theft of a licence plate
• Reporting a crime with suspect, but suspect is not on the scene: fraud
• Non-emergency in-progress: noisy party, barking dogs
• On-going crimes that are not in-progress: graffiti

For non-emergency police assistance, please call your local ten digit non-emergency numbers.

If you are unsure if your situation is an emergency, dial 9-1-1. Emergency operators will help determine if immediate action is required or if you should hang-up and dial the non-emergency line.

Calling 9-1-1 for a non-emergency ties up important lifelines meant for people or property at immediate risk. If you call 9-1-1 for a non-emergency, it will not result in a faster response. Emergency situations are always given priority.