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1. When should I call 911?

911 is for emergencies or situations that could become emergencies, review the following before calling:

• Is there a threat to life or property?
• Are you or someone else the victim of a crime?
• Do you have a law enforcement emergency?
• Do you or someone else have a medical emergency?
• Do you need the fire department?

If the situation seems urgent and has the potential to become dangerous, call 911. Dispatchers will determine whether your call should be handled by 911 or can be transferred to another person or agency. All other calls should be directed to our non-emergency number, 320-983-8257.

2. What if I call 911 accidentally?

The MLCCC frequently receives accidental or unintentional 911 calls. You may bump your cell phone and it will dial 911 (pocket dial). If you are trying to dial out and/or dial long distance, if the number is not dialed fast enough, 911 is dialed. Accidental dials happen and we would ask that you stay on the phone. Let us know it was an accident and how it happened. We may ask your name and location.

If you hang up, our policy is to call you back. We need to know if everything is okay or if there is an actual emergency. If the phone is not answered when we call back, if the location is known, we will send law enforcement to assess the situation. If the location is unknown, we will contact the cell phone provider.

3. Why do the dispatchers ask so many questions?

Emergency dispatchers need to get accurate information to allow law enforcement to make the best decision on how to approach the situation. Dispatchers handling law enforcement, fire, and ambulance calls must also consider the well-being of the public and the safety of the responding units. The information you provide a dispatcher is relayed to responding units while they are on their way to the call.

4. If I call 911, what will they ask me?

• If they ask you what the location of the emergency is (this the address where the emergency is actually happening) If you don't know the address tell the dispatcher and then:
  • Give the cross streets or a hundred block
  • If you are calling from inside a home or business, look at a piece of mail.
  • Look at the house numbers in the area
  • Provide landmarks, business names, or parks near the emergency
• If you are asked to describe a suspect, start with the most obvious things:
  • Does he/she have a gun or other weapon?
  • What is the gender and race?
  • Also, if the suspect just left (such as a theft suspect), we need to know which way the suspect went and a description of how he looked. Examples might be:
    • He had a long beard
    • He/she was at least 6 feet tall
    • He/she was wearing a red jacket
• If you are describing a vehicle, please include:
  • Color
  • Make (Was it a Honda? Ford? Dodge?)
  • License Plate information, including the state
  • Body Style (4-Door, Hatchback, Pick-up Truck)
  • Year ( if unknown, tell the dispatcher if it was a new or old vehicle)
  • Other things you may remember about it (Window Decals, Dents)
• What Is the phone number you are calling from?
  • This is the number to the phone you are actually calling from. We need this in case we have to call you back.
• What is the problem?
  • Tell us exactly what happened. Be as accurate as possible. Tell us what the problem is now, not what led up to the problem.
    • I am fighting with my husband/wife
    • I see a fight at the Dairy Queen in Milaca
    • There is a 2 vehicle accident at Highway 23 and Highway 169
• We also need to know if you're going to be at, or near the scene when units arrive because law enforcement may need to talk to you, or you may need to point out the exact location. We may ask you what kind of car you are in, or what color clothing you are wearing.

5. If I call to report a fire, what should I tell the dispatcher?

You should be prepared to answer questions like the following:

• Are any structures threatened? Are there flames moving close to any homes or buildings?
• Do you know if anyone is hurt?
• Do you know if anyone is inside the house or building?
• How large is the fire? (This is only an estimate)
• What is on fire?
• Where is the fire?

6. If I call to report a medical emergency, what should I tell the dispatcher?

When the call is answered you should tell the dispatcher the following:

• Age, if known
• If the person is conscious (awake) and their breathing status
• What is the chief complaint, examples include:
  • Bleeding
  • Chest pains
  • Difficulty breathing
  • General illness
  • etc.
• Where is the medical emergency

The call-taker will then ask you to stay on the line while they transfer you to North Ambulance for pre-arrival instructions.

7. What agencies does the Sheriff's Office dispatch for?

The Sheriff's Office dispatches for the following agencies:

Law Enforcement

• Isle Police Department
• Milaca Police Department
• The Mille Lacs County Sheriff's Office
• Onamia Police Department
• Princeton Police Department

Fire

• Foreston Fire Department
• Isle Fire Department
• Milaca Fire Department
• Onamia Fire Department
• Princeton Fire Department

Emergency Management Services

• Mille Lacs Health Systems Ambulance

8. When I call 911, why do I get asked to hold on?

The same dispatchers who answer 911 calls also answer the non-emergency calls for service for all law enforcement agencies in Mille Lacs County. When the communication center is busy, communications officers have to ask the non-emergency callers to hold on while they answer the 911 calls.

Dispatchers may also ask you to hold while they relay your information on to responding units. Every effort is made to get back to you as quickly as possible, and your patience and understanding is appreciated.