You need law enforcement...
You need the fire department for a house fire...
You need the rescue squad for a medical emergency...

Life threatening emergencies can happen at anytime and anywhere. Kewaunee County 9-1-1 is your vital link to emergency help--24 hours a day.

What happens when you call 9-1-1?
Every emergency 9-1-1 call is sent to the Kewaunee County Safety Building in the city of Kewaunee where there 14 trained Deputies answer your call for help. Along with your call, we also receive "enhanced 9-1-1 information". This vital information includes the address and phone number you are calling from and other important information to get help to you faster. All of this information is sent to us before the first ring comes through. Deputies then gather important information about your emergency. Appropriate emergency services are then dispatched, whether it be police, fire, or rescue.

What information do you tell them?
When your call for help is answered, be prepared to give them important information.

• Identify your emergency.
• The address or location of the emergency. (Cellular 9-1-1 callers should give road names along with other location information, such as landmarks, crossroads, or businesses).
• The phone number you are calling from.

These three pieces of information are the most important. With these, we can start sending help your way. Other information we may ask:

For Medical Emergencies--

• Is the person awake and are they breathing?
• What other medical problems should we know about? (This will be given to the rescue squad.)
• What caused this problem? (i.e. fell down the stairs, cut their hand...)

For Police Emergencies--

• Are there any weapons involved?
• Where are you? (i.e. in the bedroom, bathroom of the house, ect.)
• Where are the people causing the problem?
• Do you know who the people are? What are they wearing? Male or Female?
• If they people leave, try to get what direction they were heading, on foot or vehicle. Describe the vehicle if possible including the license plate and color.

For Fire Emergencies--

• Do you see flames or smoke?
• Do you know of anyone inside the structure on fire?
• Is it near any other buildings/objects that may start on fire?
• Has anyone been injured?

Always stay on the line with the deputy until they say it is ok to hang up the phone! We may need other vital information until help arrives. We may also have instructions for you.

Remember...

• 9-1-1 should only be used in emergencies where your life or someone's life or property is at stake.
• Reporting other information not considered an emergency should be directed to our non-emergency number. 388-3100. Using 9-1-1 to report non-emergency information or complaints can interfere with other people calling for emergency help.
• Be patient while the deputy asks you questions. Many times emergency crews, whether it be police, fire, or emergency medical services, are dispatched by another deputy while you are on the phone. Remember the deputies are trained in answering emergency calls for help. Answer their questions as best as you can. This will help getting emergency help to you.
• Remain CALM and SPEAK CLEARLY. Remain on the line until told to hang up. We may need additional information while help is on the way.
• Listen to the deputies instructions for assistance if you are in danger. We may tell you to leave the building, secure yourself in a room, or take other action to protect yourself. Follow instructions we give you such as meeting police officers at the door or flagging down emergency medical crews or the fire department.
• If you dial 9-1-1 in error, do not hang up the telephone. Instead, stay on the line and explain to the dispatcher that you dialed by mistake and that you do not have an emergency. If you hang up, a dispatcher will call back to confirm that there is no emergency. If you don't answer, a police officer or deputy must be dispatched to confirm that you are OK. This will needlessly take resources away from genuine emergencies.
• Do not program 9-1-1 into your auto-dial telephone. You won't forget the number, and programming the number invites accidental dialing of the number. Also, please do not dial 9-1-1 to “test” your phone or the system. 9-1-1 will work! This needlessly burdens the dispatchers and system with non-emergency calls. Also check your cellular phone. Many phones come pre-programmed with an emergency “9” key. By pressing and holding the number “9” key, it will dial 9-1-1. It is suggested to DISABLE this feature. Many times this feature is activated accidentally by placing the phone in one’s pocket. This creates a burden on 9-1-1 center that can be easily avoided.
• Parents should teach there children what 9-1-1 is, when to use it, and how to use it. It should be emphasize that 9-1-1 is for emergencies and not to play with. The 9-1-1 Center receives many 9-1-1 calls from children every year. These calls are primarily children "playing" with the phone. Education is the key!!
• A neat card can be printed here. This card has fill in the blank areas for information needed in an emergency when 9-1-1 is called. This can be put near your phones. Great for children (and everyone)!! Once the page loads, click the "Print" button on the bottom of the page. A color printer is recommended, but a black/white will do fine also.

What else can I do? Many of us do not plan in advance for an emergency situation where you will need to dial 9-1-1. Listed below are some simple tips to helping us get emergency services to your location faster.

• HOUSE NUMBER-- Where is your house number or fire number located? You can help emergency crews find your home faster if you number is located near the end of your driveway by the road. Placing your house number on your home or garage, especially if you have a long driveway to your home, can delay emergency crews from finding your home quickly. Having the house number on both sides of your mailbox can speed up response time also.
• EMERGENCIES AT NIGHT-- Turn outside porch and yard lights on in case of emergency during the night. Emergency crews will be able to quickly identify your home with the lights on and will aide them in safely walking through your yard. Remember to unlock doors if possible.
• MEDICAL EMERGENCIES-- Anyone taking numerous prescribed medications, especially the elderly, should have an accurate listing of the medications with dosages readily accessible for emergency medical personnel when they arrive. Emergency medical crews will need this vital information.

9-1-1 saves lives. When used properly, it can be the vital link between you and life saving help.