9-1-1
The Arvada Fire Protection District (AFPD) is a secondary 9-1-1 PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) which means the police agency answers your phone call for help. If it is a police matter, they will stay on the line and take information. If it is a fire or medical emergency, they will tell the caller to stay on the line and will transfer the call to the fire department.
When this happens, the phone line will ring again. The fire department dispatcher will answer and ask, “What is the address of the emergency?” Research has proved that by immediately asking the address it helps the distraught caller focus on getting help. AFPD’s communications center can identify through the system's computer, the phone number and address of the calling party. This assists in timely dispatching of fire units to the emergency scene.
Common fire emergencies include:
- Structure fires
- Brush fires
- Car fires
Common medical emergencies include:
- Heart attacks
- Car accidents
- Respiratory (breathing) difficulty
- Seizures
- Sick persons
The dispatcher will begin to dispatch emergency units immediately. All AFPD dispatchers are Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) certified through the National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch (NAEMD). This training allows the 9-1-1 dispatcher to provide medical direction (pre-arrival instructions) to 9-1-1 callers to assist the sick or injured person prior to the arrival of the fire department and ambulance service.
AFPD’s fire engines and ambulance service are dispatched according to the nature of the call. The closest unit will be sent to ensure that help arrives as soon as possible.
Whenever a person calls 9-1-1, their message needs to be clear. They also need to stay on the phone until the person in the 9-1-1 center has released them from the conversation. Try to stay calm.
The fire dispatcher will ask you:
- What’s the address of the emergency?
- What’s the phone number you’re calling from?
- What’s the problem, tell me exactly what happened?
Stay on the phone. The dispatcher will ask more questions and might have you try to assist the sick or injured person. The only reason that an AFPD 9-1-1 dispatcher would have you hang up is if you need to move away from a dangerous situation. Emergency units already have been dispatched even while you are talking with the dispatcher.
Children should be taught their home address and telephone number as soon as possible. In most cases, when a caller dials 9-1-1, the address and phone number of the caller's location is displayed to the 9-1-1 dispatcher. However, this is not always verified because of information that may be called in from cellular or mobile phones.
Only call 9-1-1 to report:
- A fire
- A serious crime
- Any serious medical condition
- Any situation requiring immediate response of Police, Fire or Emergency Medical Personnel.
What the 9-1-1 Fire Operator Will Need to Know:
- Address of the emergency
- Phone number from which you are calling
- The nature of the emergency. Stay calm, speak clearly, and be prepared to answer questions, receive instructions and stay on the phone until you are told to hang up
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