Seminole County 911 Center - 911 FAQ

Besides 9-1-1, are any other numbers answered at the 9-1-1 Center?

Yes.  The 9-1-1 Center answers not only 9-1-1 calls, but also answers calls to 405-257-5445 for the Sheriff's Department, law enforcement agencies in the county, fire departments, and EMS agencies.

Then what difference does it make whether I call 9-1-1 or the 7-digit number?

Here in Seminole County, we have an “Enhanced” 9-1-1 system.  This means that when you dial 911 our call-takers will have your name, address and phone number displayed when they answer the phone.  This will assist in making your call quicker and easier to process.  This location display is also extremely important in cases where the caller does not know where they are, or cannot speak or give their location due to a medical problem or a variety of other reasons.  Our call-takers do not receive this display when the 7-digit numbers are dialed.

Should I only dial 9-1-1 in a “life or death” emergency?  What if I need the police for a more routine reason like a simple automobile accident?

Since in Seminole County most NON-EMERGENCY calls are answered by the same call-takers that answer 9-1-1 calls, a simple answer is this:  If you need the POLICE, FIRE or EMS services DISPATCHED for any reason – dial 9-1-1.  If you just have a question or need information please try to finds the proper number in the telephone book.  For instance, to find out if someone has been arrested and may be in jail, please look up the number for the jail.  If you call one of the NON-EMERGENCY Police numbers for those questions you will connect to our 9-1-1 Center Emergency call-takers.  Please DO NOT HANG UP and redial as you will lose your place in line and tie up our Emergency call-takers again.

What should I do if I am unhappy with the service I received from dialing  9-1-1?

If a caller is not satisfied with the services provided, they should ask to speak with the 911 Administrator.  If they have already disconnected, they can call back the same number they originally dialed and ask for the  911 Administrator.  The caller should explain to the  911 Administrator the circumstances of the call and why they are not satisfied with the service they received.  The  911 Administrator is responsible to investigate the complaint, determine if 911 personnel acted properly or not, and if not to take whatever action they deemed appropriate to address the issue.  The caller may ask the  911 Administrator to call them back with the results of the investigation.