GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Guilford Metro 911 Call Center is sending a reminder to the public to call 911 only for emergencies.
Guilford Metro 911 is a consolidated 9-1-1 public safety answering point serving all of Greensboro and Guilford County.
Dispatchers work around the clock to make sure no call goes unanswered.
About 130 employees are responsible for answering and processing all 911 calls, dispatching law enforcement, fire service, emergency management, and emergency medical calls throughout Guilford County.
On a typical day, Guilford Metro 911 receives about 800-1,000 calls in a 12 hour period.
Last year, the call center handled more than 764,000 telephone transactions, 427,000 dispatches, and nearly 3.1 million radio transmissions.
The problem is not every incoming call is considered an emergency.
"We receive hundreds on non-emergency calls a day," said Angela Mitchell, Senior Supervisor with Guilford Metro 911. "We may get a dog barking next door, my food order was wrong, or I ran out of gas in front of my house. It's just a variety of non emergency calls that we receive throughout the day."
When the center receives non-emergency calls from the public, it takes resources and time away from people who need help with true emergencies.
An emergency is any serious medical problem, any type of fire, or any life-threatening situation.
You should only pick up the phone and dial 911 for emergencies.
Emergency personnel also urge the public to call 911 to report crimes that are in progress, whether or not a life is threatened.
You can always call the Guilford County non-emergency line at 336-373-2222 to report non life-threatening incidents and crime.
Here are the do's and don'ts of calling 911 to help Guilford Metro 911 focus on real emergencies:
Do:
- Dial 911 for life-threatening emergencies and crimes in progress.
- Be patient as the 911 Operator asks you questions.
- Know the following information: Address of the emergency, Phone number from where you are calling, Description of the emergency, Your name, Your phone number for future calls to obtain more information
- Briefly describe the type of incident you are reporting.
- Let the 911 Operator ask you questions - they have been trained to ask questions that will help prioritize the incident, locate it, and quickly send help.
- Describe your location and the location of the emergency, including city/town, address or location, inside or outside, what floor, room, etc.
- Describe the person(s) involved in any incident.
- Describe any vehicles involved in the incident.
- Listen to the 911 Operator's instructions for assistance if you are in danger yourself.
- Give the victim reassurance that help is on the way.
Don't:
- Program 911 into your auto-dial telephone.
- Dial 911 for non-emergencies; call the Guilford County Non-Emergency Line at 336-373-2222 instead.
- Call 911 to "test" your phone.
- Hang up if you reach a recording and try to call back. Calls are answered in the order they are received.
- Hang up the telephone if you dialed 911 by mistake. Instead, stay on the line and explain to the dispatcher that you dialed by mistake and that you do not have an emergency.
- Hang up unless the 911 Operator advises you that it is okay to do so.
- Call 911 as a prank or joke.