No. All calls will be answered  by a  9-1-1 dispatcher. If for any reason our lines are all busy, they automatically roll-over to Essex County 9-1-1. You should never hear any type of recording. If for some reason you do it needs to be reported as soon as possible.

 

 

Yes. All 9-1-1 calls in Franklin County are answered in our PSAP. Fire calls for the Saranac Lake area are answered by a 911 dispatcher and forwarded to the Saranac Lake Fire Department.

 

 

The call taker answers a 9-1-1 call with the question "9-1-1, what’s the address of the emergency?" This is the most critical piece of information we can gather. If we do not have a location of the problem, how can we send help? Other questions are asked as appropriate or dictated by Emergency Medical, Fire or Police Protocols. All questions asked by the call taker are important and are asked in such a way to gather the most appropriate information in the shortest amount of time. During emergency situations, help is usually on the way while the call taker continues to gather more information from you.

 

Do not hang up! Remain on the line (even if you are unsure at first if the call went through) and tell the call taker that the call was a mistake. If you hang up prior to your misdialed 9-1-1 call being answered, the call taker must then send law enforcement and attempt to call you back. This takes up precious time that the call taker could use to answer another call that may be an actual emergency. A common misconception is that you will get "in trouble" for accidentally dialing 9-1-1. This is simply not true! Accidents happen. We understand!

 

 

An auto attendant is an automated, electronic system that promptly answers, greets and assists callers in reaching appropriate destinations.

 

 

Callers outside of Franklin County may call 518-483-1219 to report an non-emergency or 518-483-1211 to report an emergency. Please consult ourcontacts page for a more complete list of contact information.

 

 

Yes (even if the phone does not have a service plan from a provider)!

 

 

Yes. Calls to 9-1-1 from payphones are provided at no charge.

 

 

All workstations in the Communications Center are equipped with Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD) that allows typed (text) communication with people who are hearing and/or speech impaired. If a caller does not speak English, our center has access to Language Line Services that provide 24hr/day over-the-phone interpretation of over 175 different languages. The process of getting an interpreter on the phone with the caller is generally less than one minute.

 

 

No. At this time, you are not able to send a text message to 9-1-1.

 

 

About Internet/Digital Phones

 

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) also called Internet, digital, broadband or cable phone service is a rapidly growing alternative to traditional phone service. Its popularity is fueled primarily by low prices, new features and the consumer's ability to choose a phone number from nearly anywhere in the country (and sometimes, other countries). Many industry experts anticipate VoIP's growth will outpace the growth seen by the wireless industry in the last decade.

 

VoIP may look and appear to work like a traditional phone, but it connects to the internet not a telephone line. There are several critical factors to consider regarding the impact of this service on your ability to call 9-1-1 in an emergency. While VoIP is an attractive option, it is important for consumers to understand the potential limitations the technology has with respect to accessing 9-1-1.

 

Tips for Internet/Digital Phone Users (VoIP)