9-1-1 Communications Center
The City of Mentor
Safety Forces Communications Center
8467 Civic Center Blvd.
The City of Mentor’s Safety Forces Communication Center is a designated 24 hr PSAP.
A PSAP is a Public Safety Answering Point where 9-1-1 calls are received and/or dispatched. It is a facility equipped and staffed to receive emergency calls requesting police, fire, emergency medical and other public safety services via telephone and other communication devices. Mentor’s Communication Center is a primary PSAP at which emergency calls are not only first answered and triaged, but also the point from which calls are dispatched.
9-1-1 lines are reserved for emergency calls to report a crime in progress, or a fire, or to request an ambulance. In essence, the normal use of 9-1-1 to access emergency services is generally reserved for those situations when the response by such services is immediately needed because of a life or death situation. In nearly every case, the caller should expect to be asked the location of the emergency, their call back number as well as the nature of the emergency. This scenario allows the telecommunications officer to confirm the information that may be displayed with the call as well as determine the appropriate priority and response needs of the caller. Using 9-1-1 for non-emergency calls may delay the arrival of help for people caught in life or death emergencies.
When to Dial 9-1-1
Examples of an emergency:
• Any serious medical problem (chest pain, seizures, bleeding, choking)
• Any type of fire or smoke (business, car, home)
• Any life threatening situation ( fights, people with weapons, etc)
• Traffic accidents with injuries.
• Crimes in progress (someone breaking into your home or your neighbors home)
9-1-1 is NOT for questions regarding power outages, directory assistance, weather forecast, phone repair, or cable repair.
What to do when calling 9-1-1
1. Remain Calm
2. Listen to the Dispatcher
3. Answer all questions
4. Stay on the line
5. Follow directions
What information will the operator need?
• The location where assistance is needed
• Your name and the phone number you are calling from
• The nature of the emergency
Additional information when applicable
1. Weapons – Are there any weapons involved?
2. Are there any injuries? Do you want an ambulance dispatched?
3. Has anyone been drinking or using drugs?
4. When? – Is this happening now?
5. Who? –Who is the victim, suspect, etc.?
6. Why? – Do you know why this is happening?
7. Which direction did the suspects go when they left?
8. Description of suspect
9. Did they leave in a vehicle or on foot; and if in a vehicle, what is the vehicle description?
Why does the operator ask all these questions?
Regardless of the information displayed on the screen, the 9-1-1 operator has to confirm that it has not changed. When you are reporting an emergency, try to remain calm, as hard as that may be, so that the dispatcher is able to fully understand the problem. The dispatcher may ask you to stay on the line while they dispatch help. You may not hear anything during this time. Do not hang up until the operator returns and gives you further instructions. You will be told when it is time to disconnect.
If your call requires only a police response, the operator will ask a number of questions – including your address and phone number – to get you the appropriate assistance.
If you are calling with a medical problem, they will ask the patients age, whether he or she is conscious and breathing and then a series of additional medical questions. These questions follow the Emergency Medical Dispatch protocol drafted by Medical Priority Consultants Inc in Salt Lake City, Utah.
For example, if you call because someone is having chest pains, you may be asked these questions:
• Is he completely awake?
• Is he breathing normally?
• Is he changing color?
• Is he clammy?
• Does he have a history or heart problems?
• Did he/she take any drugs or medications in the past 12 hours?
To someone in an emergency, these questions might seem to take unnecessary time. However, answering these questions provides critical information to the dispatcher, so they can determine how much help is needed and allows the ambulance and fire units to determine if they need to use their emergency lights and sirens. Please remember, that remaining on the line with the dispatcher does not delay response.
Answer questions promptly, correctly, and calmly so that the dispatcher, who is a certified Emergency Medical Dispatcher, can provide you, the caller, with important instructions before help arrives. They are trained to guide you through CPR, the Heimlich maneuver or other first-aid procedures before the ambulance arrives — which could make a big difference in life or death situations.
Other Helpful Hints:
• Remain Calm-we need to be able to understand where help is needed
• Always listen to the dispatcher
• Help is already on the way — while you are answering the dispatcher’s questions.
• Information is entered into a computer and dispatched to the proper units.
• Remain on the line until told to hang up. The operator may need more information or to give you further instruction.
• Be familiar with your area. We can’t help if you don’t know where you are.
• NEVER intervene in a crime in progress.
Accidentally dial 9-1-1?
If you dial 9-1-1 by mistake, stay on the line and let the dispatcher know that you misdialed. If you hang up, the dispatcher will attempt to call you back. If there is no answer or the line is busy, a police officer will be sent to the address of the call. ALL calls to 9-1-1 automatically go through, so do not attempt to hang up and think it will not go through — it will.
If you have an emergency, but it is not in the City of Mentor, save precious time and contact the department where help is needed. Mentor cannot send help outside of its jurisdiction. Dial 4-1-1 or the operator to directly connect you to that specific department. This will save the person in need valuable time. In an emergency, every minute counts.
What are Non-Life Threatening Emergencies?
A Non-Life Threatening Emergency call is simply a request for police or fire service that is not a life threatening situation.
• Property damage accidents (Fender Benders)
• Break in to a vehicle (when suspect is gone)
• Theft of property (when suspect is gone)
• Vandalism (when suspect is gone)
• Panhandlers
• Intoxicated persons who are not disorderly
• Cars blocking streets or alleys
• Loud party or dogs barking
• Harassment by phone, internet, or text messages
For Police / Non-Life Threatening Emergencies, call (440) 255-1234
For Fire Emergency Medical / Non-Life Threatening Emergencies, call (440) 255-1212
The dispatcher will gather information to determine appropriate response. Calls are then dispatched in order of priority. For example, a disturbance will be dispatched before a vehicle lock out, even if the lock out was reported first.
When you call a non-emergency number, the calls are connected to either (440) 255-1234 or (440) 255-1212. These non-emergency phone lines come directly into the Emergency Dispatch Center and are answered by the dispatchers.
The dispatcher might answer the phone with, “Mentor Police/Fire. Do you have an emergency?” If you do NOT have a life or death emergency requiring immediate assistance, you should simply answer “no”. You will be placed on hold momentarily. Do not hang up, the dispatcher will return to the line as soon as possible. Please remember when you call, dispatchers have seconds to prioritize several calls simultaneously. Seconds can mean saving a life for someone calling 9-1-1. If you are unsure if you have an emergency (example: reporting car accident), listen carefully to the questions being asked and keep answers brief. Unfortunately, dispatchers do not have much time to talk. When every second counts, quick prioritizing of calls is essential.
Do NOT call 9-1-1. . .
• For information regarding weather or road conditions.
• For phone numbers to businesses or other government agencies.
• To report utility problems such as power outages, phone and water repair.
• To ask for directions and/or road names.
• General information requests pertaining to police reports or correctional facilities.
• Requests for taxi services.
• Inquiries regarding parade times, Halloween trick or treat times, fireworks times, business closing times during holidays, pool passes, concert times, etc.
• Legal advice of any kind.
For Non-Emergencies, consult your telephone directory for the appropriate number for the agency, department, or individual you are trying to contact. If you do not have a telephone directory, call 4-1-1 for directory assistance. 4-1-1 can be dialed from a cell phone.
Safety Forces Communications Technicians are not to provide phone numbers or look up information in the phone book for residents. They are there to answer emergency calls for service and to dispatch safety forces quickly to those in need of help. Please think before you dial.
When you use the following helpful numbers, you will get a quicker response to your non emergency issue. Emergency dispatch has seconds to determine priority and might put you on hold several times before being able to direct you to the correct number.
Helpful Non-Emergency Numbers
City Hall: (440) 255-1100
Police Administration: (440) 974-5760
Fire Administration: (440) 974-5765
Police Records Department: (440) 974-5762
Municipal Court: (440) 974-5744
City Jail: (440) 974-5757
Public Works Department: (440) 974-5780
Parks Department: (440) 974-5720
Channel 12: (440) 974-5794
Ice Skating Arena: (440) 974-5795
Detective Bureau: (440) 974-5763
Prosecutor: (440) 974-5752
Police Non-Emergency: (440) 974-5789 Note: This line connects to the Mentor Safety Forces Communications Center after hours and weekends. Safety Forces Communications Technicians are not to provide non-emergency phone numbers, or look up information in the phone book for residents.
Additional Numbers
Information 4-1-1 (can be called from any cell phone)
Poison Control (800) 222-1222
Crisis Hotline (440) 357-7300
CEI (800) 589-3101
East Ohio Gas Co. (216) 736-6650
AT&T Repair (800) 572-4545
Lake Co. Sheriff (440) 354-3434
Ohio State Patrol (440) 354-3233
Health Department (440) 350-2543
Dog Warden (440) 350-2640
Council on Aging (440) 205-8111
What about Cell Phones?
Cell phones work differently than hard wired phones. When 9-1-1 is dialed with a cell phone, it connects to the closest tower, not necessarily the correct police station that you need. Lake County Central Communications will receive the majority of initial calls in our area. Always be prepared to give the location where help is needed. If you do not know the address, use landmarks such as certain businesses you can see.
Lake County Central Communications will ask some of the following questions in order to transfer you to the correct department.
1. Where help is needed (in order to get you to the right department),
2. What is the emergency (in order to send police, fire, or both),
3. Your name and the phone number you are calling from (In case you are disconnected before you get to speak with correct department).
Once you are transferred to the correct department, that dispatcher will ask you these same questions again. Keep in mind that you are speaking with a different department now, so they will need to know the same information.
