On May 1, 1995, Enhanced 9-1-1 was officially activated within the County of Lambton.  For landline telephones, Enhanced 9-1-1 provides information on the 9-1-1 call-taker’s screen such as the telephone number, the municipal address of the building where the phone is connected and the name of the occupant.  This information is transferred to the requested emergency service along with the telephone call.  If the emergency is not taking place at the caller’s location, the caller must be able to identify where the emergency response is required. 

9-1-1 calls can be made from cellular or wireless phones but most cellular/wireless service providers do not have Enhanced 9-1-1 service (check with your service provider).  This means the 9-1-1 call taker may not have any information relating to the call.  Cellular/wireless callers must therefore be able to inform the call taker of their location (i.e. street address or nearest street intersection or prominent building or landscape feature).

Calling from a payphone is free but you should be prepared to provide any information requested by the 9-1-1 call taker.

9-1-1 should be used to request emergency assistance or to provide crucial information to emergency response personnel.  Use 9-1-1 to report a crime in progress (exercise extreme caution though), to report a fire or to call for medical assistance - whenever a prompt response is required to a critical situation. 

Police, fire or ambulance (or any or all of these services) will be dispatched based on the information provided to the 9-1-1 call taker.

Simply dial 9-1-1 and your call will be answered by a 9-1-1 call taker.  Try to be calm and speak slowly and clearly.  Listen carefully to the questions being asked and answer them completely.  9-1-1 call-takers and police, fire and ambulance dispatchers are trained to obtain the information necessary to respond to your emergency call. 

If you call 9-1-1 by mistake, stay on the line to explain to the call taker that everything is alright.  If you do not remain on the line, the call taker may call your number back or dispatch a police vehicle to investigate.  To avoid dialing 9-1-1 by mistake, it is recommended that the number not be entered into a programmable telephone.

All 9-1-1 calls are recorded.

The 9-1-1 call taker will ask if you require police, fire or ambulance.  Based on your answer, your call will be transferred to the emergency dispatch agency requested.  You must be prepared to state the nature of the emergency and answer all questions asked of you.  Answering questions does not delay the emergency response!    

If at all possible, do not hang up the telephone until you are advised to do so by the 9-1-1 call taker.

Lambton County contracts 9-1-1 call taking services from the Ontario Provincial Police for the entire County except the City of Sarnia & the Village of Point Edward.  An O.P.P. call taker in North Bay, Ontario answers 9-1-1 calls made within Lambton (except the two aforementioned municipalities) and immediately transfers the calls to the appropriate local emergency communications centre.  9-1-1 calls originating in Sarnia and Point Edward are answered by Sarnia Police Services 9-1-1 call takers.