Emergency Management     FAQ









DOUGLAS COUNTY COMMUNICATION CENTER

Danielle Miller, Supervisor

LOCATION & CONTACT INFORMATION

1316 North 14th Street, Suite 13
Superior, Wisconsin  54880
Phone: (715) 395-7203
Fax: (715) 395-7633
E-mail:  millerd@ci.superior.wi.us

DUTIES

The Communication Center  receives emergency and routine calls and dispatches police, fire, and other public safety and service personnel and equipment, in a coordinated manner, using computer assisted information and telecommunications system.

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Communication Center is to enhance the quality of life by handling all 9-1-1 and other calls for service in a prompt, courteous, professional, and correct manner, thereby saving lives, protecting property, limiting crimes, and preventing major fire loss while maintaining accurate information.

 

 

Text Box: REASONS TO CALL 9-1-1 1. To get help for someone who is hurt or very sick; 2. If you smell smoke or see fire; 3. If you see someone stealing something or hurting someone; and 4. If you need emergency help fast for any reason.  

 

 

 

 

Text Box: REASONS NOT TO CALL 9-1-1 1. DO NOT CALL 9-1-1 to practice to see if it works.  We have tested many numbers throughout the county and we know it works. 2. DO NOT CALL 9-1-1 as a game, prank, or joke.  Douglas County has an enhanced 9-1-1 system.  This means the 9-1-1 equipment captures your call and knows where the call came from.  It shows your telephone number, the subscriber's name, address, and the emergency service agencies that service your address. Each time the dispatch center receives a hang-up call they have to call the person back to determine if there is an emergency and also send an officer to your house.  If you call as a prank or joke, you are wasting dispatcher time, officer time, and tying up the 9-1-1 emergency lines preventing someone else who really does have an emergency and needs help from reaching the 9-1-1 center.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box: TIPS IF YOU NEED TO CALL 9-1-1 1. Stay calm.  Don't get excited.  Speak loudly and clearly.  Dial 9-1-1 right away.  Don't wait for someone else to call. 2. If you need to call 9-1-1 from a location such as a school, business, or hotel, you may need to dial special number(s) to reach an outside line before dialing 9-1-1. 3. Cellular Call:  If you dial 9-1-1 from a cell phone (vehicle phone), it will go through the nearest dispatch center.  If possible, provide the dispatcher with the nearest mile marker if traveling on a highway and reporting an emergency. 4. Tell the person who answers the phone exactly what is wrong, like this:  "...my house is on fire" or "...there was just a car accident in front of my house". 5. Explain what type of help you need -- fire, police, and/or ambulance. 6. Tell them the exact location where the emergency is.  Be sure to give the FULL address, including your apartment number if you live in an apartment. 7. Tell them the phone number you are calling from.  (If you are not calling from the same address as the emergency, tell them the address where you are.) 8. DO NOT HANG UP until the person on the telephone tells you to.  They may need to ask you more questions to help the fire, police, and/or ambulance service find you.  They also will tell you what to do until help arrives (medical pre-arrival instructions).  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box: If you call 9-1-1 on a cell phone, your location may not automatically display, as it does when calling from most home/business phones. Be prepared to tell the 9-1-1 call taker: The location of the emergency - EVEN IN AN AREA THAT HAS LOCATION TECHNOLOGY (address, street intersection, landmarks, city, county, mile marker, etc.) Your cell phone number What the emergency is and what type of assistance is needed Remember... Stay calm and speak clearly! Do not hang up until the 9-1-1 call taker has obtained all of the information that is needed. Since 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. When calling 9-1-1 on a cellular 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 from the emergency. Your call may need to be transferred to another agency.