911/Central Dispatch



CALL IF YOU CAN
TEXT IF YOU CAN’T

Florence County 9-1-1, also known as Central Dispatch to our emergency response personnel, is the vital communications hub for Florence County’s emergency services network. It is the sole answering point for all E-911 calls originating anywhere in Florence County. Our proficient communications personnel seamlessly handle call-taking and dispatching responsibilities. Annually, we receive an average of 250,000 calls, equating to approximately 700 calls each day or 30 calls per hour. Of these calls, an average of 151,000 are E-9-1-1 calls.

Text-to-911 is the ability to send a text message to 911 emergency call takers from your mobile phone or device. However, because voice calls to 911 provide more information to 911 call centers, you should always make a voice call to 911 during an emergency whenever possible. If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech disabled, and text-to-911 is unavailable, use a TTY or a telecommunications relay service, if possible. “CALL IF YOU CAN! TEXT IF YOU CAN’T”

The remaining calls consist of non-emergency situations, such as minor accidents with no injuries or administrative calls from law enforcement, fire, or EMS personnel requesting information.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Operating a multi-line telephone console, alerting system, TDD system for the deaf and hearing-impaired, and complex radio system.
  • Dispatching for 25 public safety agencies within Florence County, including 10 Law Enforcement agencies, 10 Fire Departments, one countywide Emergency Medical Service, and 3 Transporting Rescue Squads.
  • Receiving and dispatching various emergency and non-emergency calls and utilizing a language line for non-English-speaking callers when needed.
  • Utilizing all resources to determine the caller's location and provide them with adequate assistance.
  • Using Emergency Medical Dispatch, Emergency Fire Dispatch, and Emergency Police Dispatch software to obtain essential information through a list of questions for responders and provide appropriate pre-arrival instructions.
  • Demonstrating a remarkable ability to think quickly and work under stressful situations.
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