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1. What is 911?

911 is the number to call for help in a police, fire or medical emergency.

2. When should I call 911?

You should call 911 for emergencies such as: 

• A crime is occurring and you need the police
• Someone has been seriously hurt and you need an ambulance
• There is a fire or you see smoke
• There is a traffic accident
• Someone's life is in danger
• Any other emergency

If you are unsure if something is an emergency, call 911. Ask yourself if there is a danger to a person or property. Some more examples of emergencies when you should call 911 are:

• Someone is breaking into my neighbor's car
• I can hear my neighbors yelling and fighting
• A pot on my stove is on fire
• My mother just cut her hand and she is bleeding a lot 

3. What should I do when I call 911?

Be prepared to answer the dispatcher's questions in a calm, clear voice. The dispatcher is trained to ask questions to determine the nature of the emergency such as:

• What is happening?
• Where is the incident occurring?
• Who is involved?
• Is there a weapon?
• Has anyone been injured?

This information will assist the dispatcher in determining what type of help to send you. 

If you call 911, remember these things:

• Stay calm and speak clearly!
• Listen carefully to the call-taker and answer questions concisely
• Do not hang up until the 911 call-taker has obtained all of the information that is needed
• If you are calling from a cell phone, your call may be disconnected if the signal is lost. Be sure to call back if you are cut off. 
• Your call may need to transferred to another agency, so stay on the phone and wait for the new call-taker to begin asking questions. 

4. What if I call 911 by accident?

Do not hang up. You need to stay on the line and explain to the dispatcher that everything is okay. If you hang up, the dispatcher may think that there is an emergency and send a police officer. 

5. What if I need help, but it's not an emergency?

You can reach a dispatcher on our non-emergency phone line at 408-866-2101.

6. When should I not call 911?

You should not call 911 for non-emergency such as:

• My neighbor's TV is really loud
• My neighbor's dog has been barking all day 
• Why is the power out in my neighborhood?

For non-emergency situations such as the ones outlined above, call the non-emergency line at 408-866-2101.

7. What if I don't speak English?

Dispatcher have access to translators for callers who do not speak English. When the dispatcher requires the services of a translator, the dispatcher will add the interpreter to the call. 

8. What if I am speech or hearing-impaired and need to call 911?

All dispatchers are equipped with TDD (Teletype Device for the Deaf) detectors and can communicate with TDDs from their 911 workstation. 

9. Cell Phones and 911

While cell phones can be an important public safety tool, they also create unique challenges for public safety and emergency response personnel and for cell phone service providers. Because cell phones are mobile, they are not associated with one fixed location or address. A caller using a cell phone could be calling from anywhere. While the location of the cell site closest to the caller may provide a very general indication of the caller's location, that information is not usually specific enough for rescue personnel to deliver assistance to the caller quickly. 

Depending on which cell tower picks up your cell phone signal, your call will be routed to the California Highway Patrol (CHP) or a local police agency such as the Campbell Police Department. If the call is answered by CHP and something is occurring within a local police agency's jurisdiction, they will connect you with the appropriate agency. 

If you are calling from a cell phone to report an emergency occurring in the City of Campbell, you can dial the Police Department's emergency number at 408-378-8161.

When calling 911 from a cell phone it is helpful to keep in mind

• Your call may be disconnected if the signal is lost. Be sure to call back if you are cut off. 
• When calling 911 on a cell phone, be sure to stop if you are in a moving vehicle. It is difficult to obtain all of the information needed if you are getting further away from the emergency. 
• Your call may need to transferred to another agency, so stay on the phone and wait for the new call-taker to begin asking questions.