911 & Communications

The Barrie Police Service responds to all 9-1-1 EMERGENCY calls which require police assistance within the City of Barrie.

911 is for EMERGENCY purposes only.

COMMUNICATIONS PERSONNEL

Our Communications Clerks are expected to handle a variety of unusual situations in a professional manner. They are provided with training, both in Barrie and at the Ontario Police College, to assist them with their task.

Many years ago, the Service opted to assign Communications Clerks to a platoon, so that they are part of a team. As such, they know the police officers who are their colleagues, and efficiency and effectiveness are enhanced in the process.

Whether it be a 9-1-1 emergency, a non-emergency situation requiring police assistance, or a self-reporting situation, our Communications Clerks will provide you with the information necessary to deal with the situation.

The City of Barrie Emergency Response Service

This 9-1-1 Emergency Service is available in the City of Barrie.

What is 9-1-1?

Seconds count in an emergency! When you have an emergency just dial 9-1-1. It is an easy telephone number to remember. When police, fire, or medical emergencies occur, 9-1-1 can help save precious time. Your call is answered by a trained emergency call taker who will provide you with the assistance you require. You can also dial 9-1-1 from your cellular phone. The call is toll free.

When to Call 9-1-1

9-1-1 is for police, fire, or medical emergencies when immediate action is required: someone's health, safety or property is in jeopardy or a crime is in progress.

What Happens When You Dial 9-1-1

• A call-taker will ask "do you need police, fire or ambulance?" and you will transferred to the agency you request
• Stay on the line and follow instructions
• Be prepared to answer questions about your location and the nature of your emergency.
• Listen carefully, speak clearly and try to remain calm
• Call-takers are trained to ask specific questions in a priority sequence, they relay information via computer to dispatchers and the emergency personnel on their way to help you
• Requests for assistance are dispatched on a priority basis, with most serious calls dispatched first

Examples of when to call 9-1-1

• An event that involves an immediate threat to person or property: screams, attacks, gunshots, fire, car accident with injuries or any other medical emergency
• A substantive, in-progress crime. This includes fights, break and enters (if there is a suspect on scene) or a report of an impaired driver
• A serious crime that has just occurred (e.g., sexual assault or robbery)
• A suspicious circumstance that may indicate an immediate criminal act (e.g., prowler, vandal)

What You Should Know When Dialing 9-1-1

• At home, you can dial 9-1-1 direct
• At a business or other location, you may need to dial an outside line before dialing 9-1-1
• At a pay phone, dial 9-1-1. This is a free call. When using a cellular phone be prepared to give the exact location of the emergency. This is also a free call.
• For TTY access (Telephone Device for the Deaf) press the spacebar announcer key repeatedly until a response is received.

What You Should Know About Cell Phones & 9-1-1

• Wireline or landline 9-1-1 calls are accompanied by electronic data when they reach our call takers. This electronic data includes your telephone number and civic address. This means that if the connection is lost or the caller cannot speak, help can still be dispatched.
• In the case of cellular calls, electronic data with location information is not automatically available to the call taker. It is up to the caller to describe the exact location of the emergency.
• If you have a choice between using a wireline phone or a cell phone to call 9-1-1, the wireline should always be your first choice. The connection is more secure and the location data is available automatically.

Does Your Cellular Provider offer Enhanced Wireless Service?

The technology is now available in the 9-1-1 network today to provide the 9-1-1 call taker with the callback number of your cellular handset and the XY coordinates associated to that number with a 90% confidence factor and a metered distance range of that XY coordinate. This information is a useful tool to assist the 9-1-1 call taker in getting help to you more quickly. Even with this additional data, it is still up to the caller to describe the exact location of the emergency.

What You Should Know If You Only Have Cellular Service at Home

If you or someone you know has decided to give up their wired phone at home in favour of cellular only, we recommend the following precautions.

• Always be aware of where you have placed your handset. You want it to be easily found (by yourself and/or visitors) at a moment's notice, at all hours of the day.
• Always ensure your handset has a fully charged battery. You may feel safer leaving it powered on at all times, ready to dial at a moment's notice.
• Understand that even though you are in your home, your home address is not displayed to the 9-1-1 call taker. Be prepared to provide this information verbally.
• Ensure your carrier has current/accurate subscriber information on file.
• Understand that some of the common problems with cellular calls do not go away just because you have dialed the digits 9-1-1. Voice transmissions can become distorted and/or interrupted just like any phone call you may place from your cell phone.

Do Not Pre-Program 9-1-1 into Your Phone's Speed Dial Function

Each day our 9-1-1 emergency call takers deal with a high percentage of false cellular 9-1-1 calls. On sets pre-programmed to dial 9-1-1, keys are often accidentally pressed, setting off unintentional 9-1-1 calls. Consumers unknowingly tie up 9-1-1 telephone lines, unnecessarily tying up the resources of emergency responders and causing a negative impact for true emergent calls for help.

Calling 9-1-1 via VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)

Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) allows you to make and receive phone calls using an Internet connection. Although such technology offers convenience, it also has some limitations. For instance, unlike a traditional landline telephone, when calling 9-1-1 using a VOIP connection:

• VoIP third party operators may send a request for emergency service to the wrong 9-1-1 Centre or a non-emergency line causing potential delay in response,
• if the caller is unable to speak, or if the call is disconnected, the operator may not have automatic location information to give to 9-1-1 Call-takers,
• access to 9-1-1 service for VoIP customers may not be available during a power failure or if the internet connection is disrupted,
• VoIP services do not have to enlist the use of a Language Line interpretation service as is currently used by the Barrie Police Service,
• if the consumer moves and retains the VoIP service, they must ensure their address information is updated with their VoIP service provider

Consumers must be aware of these limitations when choosing VoIP service. Research any potential VoIP service provider you are considering contracting with to ensure you have all the facts about their service and their 9-1-1 capabilities and limitations.

What You Can Do To Help 9-1-1 Help You!

• Remain calm and speak clearly.
• Identify which emergency service you require (Police, Fire, or Ambulance) and be prepared to provide the following: what is happening what is the location what is your name, address, and telephone number.
• Please remain on the line to provide additional information if requested to do so by the call taker.
  DO NOT HANG UP UNTIL THE CALL TAKER ADVISES YOU TO DO SO.
• Remember, it is important to have your house numbers visible from the street. This will assist emergency responders in locating you as quickly as possible.

What to Teach Your Children about 9-1-1

Do your children know how to get help in an emergency?

• Teach your children how and when to get help from 9-1-1
• teach your children their address and telephone number as soon as they are able to learn
• keep it posted by all phones in case they are unsure
• tell your children to answer all of the emergency call takers' questions and stay on the phone until they are told to hang up
• teach your children about the dangers of making prank 9-1-1 calls.

What Are The Dangers Of 9-1-1 Prank Calls?

Prank 9-1-1 calls waste time and money and can also be dangerous. If 9-1-1 lines or responders are busy with prank calls, someone with a real emergency might not get the help that they need.

Non-emergency Calls

When to Call Police Non-Emergency

The non-emergency Barrie Police Service number is 705 725-7025. Take a moment to write it down. Please do not call 9-1-1 for the non-emergency number. Use this number for non-emergency situations where an immediate response or dispatch of the police is NOT required.