The Northumberland detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) would like to take the opportunity to remind the public that 9-1-1 is for police, fire, or medical emergencies when someone’s health, safety or property is in jeopardy or a crime is in progress.
If you are engaged in a recreational activity or simply have your cell phone in your pocket or purse, please lock the device or turn it off to prevent accidental dialing.
Police would also like to remind parents that a communication device is not an appropriate toy for your young children as they quite often innocently dial 9-1-1.
If you accidentally dial 9-1-1, the wrong thing to do is to hang up.
Hanging up requires operators in the Provincial Communications Centre (PCC) to call back to ensure the caller’s safety.
This further keeps the line tied up from someone who really needs it.
If you accidentally dial 9-1-1, it is imperative to stay on the line and tell the operator what happened.
Also, it is the OPP’s policy to dispatch an officer to every identifiable location of every 9-1-1 call to ensure the safety of the person who has made the call.
Please remember that misuse and abuse of 9-1-1 could result in a slower OPP response to a real emergency risking the safety of people who may need urgent help.
The OPP reminds you that 1-888-310-1122 is available 24/7 for non-emergency calls for service in Ontario.
