Calling 911
You should call 911 when you need the immediateresponse of an emergency service, such as a police officer, an ambulance, or firefighters. Please call 911 if there is an immediate risk to the safety of people or property (yours or others), or if there is a medical emergency. A 911 call from a pay phone is free; you do not have to deposit money to make the call.
When the dispatcher answers your call, try to remain calm as you describe the emergency, and give the location where help is needed. Your telephone number is displayed to the dispatcher immediately, so that you can be called back if more information is needed or if the call is interrupted.

If you call 911 by accident, or if you change your mind about an incident's severity after you dial, please stay on the line until the dispatcher ends the call; do not just hang up.  Instead, stay on the phone and explain to the dispatcher that you dialed by mistake and that you do not have an emergency. Otherwise, the dispatcher (not knowing that there's no emergency) will spend time trying to call you back or may even send emergency responders to you -- and force other 911 calls to wait in the meantime.

About the 911 Center
This dispatch center is a primary answering location for all wire-line 911 calls for the Town of Merrillville.

Wireless 911 calls are also answered at this center for 911 cell phone signals that are received by cell tower locations in and around the borders of Merrillville.

All four (4) Fire Stations and the Emergency Medical Service in Merrillville are dispatched from this facility.
 
There are 9 full time dispatch operators and 6 part time operators which work three shifts in a 24 hour day. All dispatchers rotate between Police, Fire and Emergency Medical dispatch duties during the course of their schedule.

All dispatchers are certified as Emergency Medical Dispatchers through the National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch program. This system provides callers with pre-arrival medical instructions, including CPR, while help is on the way.

The 911 Center uses a CAD (Computer-Aided Dispatch) system. Dispatchers enter all of the calls for all reports they receive, and thus can check for previous hazards or prior calls from the location, and can monitor the officers' location and status through this system. 
The dispatchers also use a state computer through which they can check driving records and vehicle registrations or enter warrants or reports of stolen cars for the officers. They have the capability of contacting any law enforcement agency throughout the United States through this system.

What Dispatchers Do
Dispatchers must be able to multi-task throughout their shift. For example, they may need to talk with a suicidal person while calling in the appropriate EMS and law enforcement personnel to respond, and still continue to handle other emergency and routine calls that come into the center. A "typical" 911 call can consist of anything from a complaint by a neighbor to a report of a multiple-car accident with fatalities. Dispatchers need to be able to remain calm and collected in a tense situation, and to be alert for signs of trouble in the background of calls they take.

New dispatchers have extensive on-the-job training. However, you do not need any special schooling beyond a high-school diploma to become a dispatcher. Prior law enforcement experience or knowledge is always helpful, but not required. 

Dispatchers are responsible, dedicated people who work very hard to help keep the citizens and officers safe.

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Questions and Answers
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What is 911?

911 is an emergency telephone number that will connect a caller to a trained professional who can quickly dispatch the police, emergency medical personnel and/or the fire department.

When should I call 911?
You should call 911 for any emergency.

What is an Emergency?
911 is to be used only in situations ay immediate threat to life and/or property that requires immediate response from police, fire or EMS requiring immediate response.
An emergency might include, but is not limited to:

a fire; any kind of fire, whether it’s a vehicle, home, empty building or grass;

medical emergencies; a serious medical problem, such as cardiac arrest, severe chest pains, difficulty breathing, seizures, severe bleeding or choking;

any emergency where life, body or personal property is in immediate danger, such as an accident with injuries, a fight, a domestic situation or a burglary or destruction of property in progress.

When Shouldn't I Call 911?
911 is not to be used for cases such as:

noise complaints;

barking dogs;

complaint follow-ups;

general questions;

loud music;

routine medical transports; or

other non-emergency calls .

Please use the non-emergency number 769-3531. You will receive the service you want and not hamper 911 operations for true emergencies.

What Happens When I Call 911?
A highly trained, professional 911 telecommunication dispatcher will answer your call to 911.  Depending on the nature of the call, you will be asked to answer a series of questions.  PLEASE LISTEN CAREFULLY AND ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS!!  The telecommunication dispatchers are trained to ask certain questions for certain incidents.  Even though some questions may seem petty, they are very important questions used to provide the highest level of public safety response.  Please do not hang up until you are told to do so.

What Questions Will Be Asked?

Where?         Where is the incident taking place?  Where is the patient?  Where are you?
What?            What are you reporting?  What kind of illness or injury?
Who?             Who is involved in the incident?  Who needs an ambulance?  Who are you?
When?           When did this happen?  Is it in progress?
Weapons?    Does anyone involved have access to any weapons?
Callback?      What telephone number can you be reached at if we need to call you back?

While the call taker is asking you these questions, they are also entering the information into the computer aided dispatch (CAD) system, which allows another dispatcher to instantly process the call and send help.