Emergency 9-1-1 Communications

When to Call 9-1-1

• report a crime in progress 
• report an active fire 
• save a life 

What to Expect When you Call 9-1-1 

Important Notes

• Staying on the line does not delay emergency response. Emergency responders are dispatched simultaneously while you speak with the Emergency Call Taker. 
• Do not hang up. If you are placed on hold, hang up, and redial- you will be sent to the back of the queue causing further delay. 

Call Process

1. Call 9-1-1 and be connected to an Emergency Call Taker 
2. Know your location and be prepared to provide it 
3. State your emergency and the number of people involved to the best of your ability 
4. Follow the Emergency Call Taker's instructions. Simultaneously, dispatchers are sending the appropriate emergency response to your location.  
5. Stay on the line until emergency responders arrive or until instructed to hang up. 

How to Use Text to 9-1-1

1. Enter the numbers "911" into the "To" field as you would any text message (do not include dashes). 
2. In the message field, state the location of your emergency and a brief summary of the situation. The most important information is your location, be specific and give a street address if possible. (EXAMPLE: I'm at 1234 Main St, APT 10. Intruder is in my apartment.)
3. The Emergency Call Taker will respond via text with a series of questions. Answer all questions and follow the instructions given to the best of your ability.
4. Help is on the way, continue to respond to texts until the Call Taker ends the conversation. 

Important Considerations

• Do not use abbreviations or slang, as the meaning could be misconstrued or create a delay in the arrival of emergency services. 
• Be as attentive as possible to the text conversation with short and timely responses. 
• Do not delete the messages or turn off your phone until the call taker concluded the conversation.

When to Use Text 9-1-1

Text to 9-1-1 supports individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability. It can also be used when people are: 

• Unable to speak as a result of an injury or medical emergency 
• Facing a threatening situation where a voice call could increase the threat or compromise safety 
• In an area where a text message is the only option to request emergency services due to limited coverage 
• In an area where phone lines and cell towers are overwhelmed and only a text can get through to request emergency services. 

What Else You Should Know

• If you attempt to send a text to 9-1-1 in an area outside of Denver where the service is unavailable, you will be sent a "bounce-back" message advising you to contact emergency services by alternative means (Call 9-1-1). In this circumstance, Text to 9-1-1 is not available. 
• Photos and videos cannot be sent to Denver 9-1-1 at this time. 
• Text to 9-1-1 does not work with applications that do not support texting to and from U.S. phone numbers. 

 Non-Emergency Line: (720) 913-2000

Starting late June, Denver 9-1-1 will use a smart integrated voice response (IVR) system for non-emergency calls. This means that callers will reach an automated system designed to assist callers and direct them to the best resources for their needs rather than directly connecting callers to a call taker.

Lean More About Smart IVR

When to Call the Non-Emergency Line

Any report of a public safety nature that does not involve a threat to life, property, or safety. Such as:

• A crime that is not currently in progress
• Parking complaints
• Loud music complaints

Filing a Report Online 

You can file an online police report for non-emergency crimes such as:  

• Damaged or lost property, vandalism 
• Lost or stolen checks/credit cards/ATM cards 
• Theft or lost property 
• Vandalism or theft from/to a vehicle 
• Graffiti 

File an Online Police Report

The City & County of Denver has released Reverse Emergency Notifications to notify residents when there is an emergency in their neighborhood.

Sign up to receive alerts by providing your contact and location information. You can choose to be notified via voice call, text message or email and can provide multiple locations. Once you opt into notifications, the system will send alerts based on the location information you have provided. You can update your location and contact information using the the alert management dashboard. You can also can opt out of the notifications by pressing '0' during a voice call or replying “STOP”, via text message.

Sign Up for Reverse Emergency Notifications

Over 90 percent of calls made to 9-1-1 come from mobile phones. While mobile phones can be an important public safety tool, they can also create unique challenges for emergency responders. 

When you dial 9-1-1 from a mobile phone, the 9-1-1 call taker has very little information to help you - only your phone number and a very general sense of your location. Denver's solution is Smart911.

Smart911 is a private, secure service that allows you to create a safety profile that provides 9-1-1 and emergency responders with important information you want them to know about yourself, your family members and pets, your home and your vehicles in any kind of emergency. The information you provide automatically displays on the 9-1-1 call taker's screen when an emergency call is placed from a phone number connected to your profile. These details can save seconds or even minutes during an emergency. 

Sign Up for Smart911

Email 9-1-1 at Denver911@Denvergov.Org

In addition to TTY services, deaf, hard of hearing, or residents with speech disabilities can email Denver 9-1-1 with questions or to report non-emergent incidents.

• Similar to text to 9-1-1, in an email to 9-1-1 include the following: 
• The location where help is needed
• A summary of the situation

Additionally, when emailing 9-1-1 make sure to consider the following: 

• Response as quickly as possible to the information requested by 9-1-1 such as injuries and suspect descriptions
• Stay engaged in the text conversation as much as possible and do not delete the message or turn off your phone until the Denver 9-1-1 call taker concludes the conversation

9-1-1 services for Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Residents with Speech Disabilities

Denver 9-1-1 offers deaf, hard of hearing, and/ or individuals with speech disabilities Text 9-1-1 to access emergency response services within the City and County of Denver.  

Teletypewriters (TTY)

TTY is an electronic device for text communication with individuals who are deaf. The device uses a series of tones that allow users to communicate via a keyboard and telephone interface at 9-1-1. Deaf and hard of hearing community members are encouraged to maintain a TTY machine to access 9-1-1 when a text pager or email is unavailable.

Denver's 9-1-1 call takers are trained on the use of the TTY and check all 9-1-1 hang-ups and “silent” phone calls or “open lines” using both voice and TTY commands to verify if a member of the deaf or hard of hearing community is on the line.

Denver 9-1-1 has partnered with PulsePoint to give Denver access to the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) registry. The free app can be used to identify locations with AED’s in the event of a cardiac incident.

Download PulsePoint AED for IOS

Download PulsePoint AED for Android

Register a New AED  

Directions

1. Input the AED's address into the entry field located on the upper left corner of the map
2. Drag the AED Symbol onto the exact location of the AED within the building
3. You will be directed to a new page that confirms the AED’s Address, Responsible Party, Manufacturer information, and Co-located items
4. Submit your AED Entry Form by clicking “Submit AED” on the bottom of the page
5. AED Registration is complete