Although it's a simple question, many have said, "I want to speak to the police or fire department, but I don't think I have an emergency. Who do I call?" Whenever in doubt, call 911. Most often this question is posed by someone needing to call the Police Department.
911 services are centralized at Valley Communication Center (Valley Com) located in Kent. Valley Com is jointly owned by the cities of Tukwila, Renton, Kent, Auburn and Federal Way. They provide emergency 911 response services for police, fire and emergency medical aid.
Your call to 911 will be answered by a "Call Receiver" who will ask the nature of your emergency. To gain as many details as quickly as possible, the Call Receiver asks many questions, which are specifically utilized to obtain needed information so that the appropriate emergency response can be dispatched to your location quickly and safely.
The Call Receiver will ask that you stay on the line. If you're excited, they will try to calm you. Your experience may involve a loved one, or be happening before your eyes, which makes it doubly important for the Call Receiver to be very deliberate and as detailed as possible. We don't see what you are seeing. Under traumatic circumstances, you may assume we understand the situation.
The Call Receiver is entering your answers into a computer that has already identified the address you are calling from through the "E-911" system. Often, at the same time, that information is being read by a Dispatcher on another computer and emergency workers are being alerted and sent to your location before you've completed your discussion with the Call Receiver.
You can always reach your police or fire department through our published nonemergency numbers:
- Police Station: 206 433-1808
- Fire Headquarters: 206 575-4404
There is a dilemma in reaching a police officer. Our police officers are most often in their cars and in their assigned areas. For emergency and efficiency reasons, our officers are reached by radio from the "911" center. If you call the Police business number and ask to speak to an on-duty police officer or to report a nonemergency police incident, you will be asked to call "911" so the officer assigned to the area of the incident can be dispatched.
If you know the officer you've been working with, you can always leave a detailed message in his or her voice mail by simply calling our business number.
So yes, "911" is for emergencies, but it is also used as the communication link between citizens and their officers for nonemergency dispatching. Your Valley Com Call Receiver will sort it all out.
