Alcona County Central Dispatch is a consolidated 911 PSAP (Public-Safety Answering Point), consisting of a 911 Director and 6 Dispatchers who are responsible for handling emergency 911 and non-emergency requests for law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services for Alcona County.

 

TIPS FOR CALLING 911:

1.   Call only for immediate emergency police, medical or fire assistance.

2.   ALWAYS KNOW YOUR LOCATION. We cannot send you help if we don’t know where you are.

3.   Be prepared to provide essential information to the dispatcher such as the location, your name, your telephone number and what the emergency is.

4.   It may seem like the Dispatcher is asking a lot of questions, but please be patient and answer them to the best of your ability. Your answers help us get the right resources headed your way.

5.   Stay on the line until the Dispatcher ends the call. There may be more information that they need to gather.

6.   If you can’t call 911, you can always text 911. We have the ability to receive text messages sent to 911 and we can respond to them.

 

NON-EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

These numbers should always be used when you do not need immediate, emergency assistance.

Alcona Central Dispatch: (989) 724-0911
Alcona County Sheriff: (989) 724-6271
Alcona County Offices: (989) 724-9400
US Forest Service (989) 739-0728 Ext 3007
Michigan State Police (Alpena): (989) 354-4101
Michigan DNR Law (Mio): (989) 826-3211
Michigan DNR Fire (Lincoln) (989) 736-8336
Northeast Michigan 211
Alpena Central Dispatch: (989) 354-9111
Alpena City Police: (989) 354-1800
Alpena County Sheriff: (989) 354-9830
Iosco Central Dispatch: (989) 362-1430

 

OH NO! YOU ACCIDENTALLY CALLED 911! NO WORRIES, HERE’S WHAT TO DO:

1. Do not hang up on an accidental 911 call. Dispatchers must do everything in their power to ensure that a 911 hang-up call is not an actual call for help. For this reason, we ask that you always stay on the line and inform the Dispatcher that it was an error if you should accidentally dial 911.
2. Do not pre-program 911 into cellphone. A great percentage of accidental 911 calls come from “Pocket Dials”. This is when 911 is programed into a cellphone and the button gets accidentally hit in a pocket or a purse.
3. Teach your children when to dial 911. If you would like help in teaching your child how to properly call 911 in case of an emergency, please call us at 989-724-0911 and we will gladly assist you with this.

 

 

 

911 Facts:

• “Landline Phones” are hardwired phones that are stationary in your home or office.
• Most Landline Phones will provide the Dispatcher with the address the phone company has on file for you. To make sure that is correct, the Dispatcher will always verify your address when you call to ensure that we are sending help to the right location.
• Cellphones do not provide your exact location to the dispatcher. Depending on your cellphone, Dispatchers may receive your location anywhere up to almost 1,000 feet from your actual location.
• If you call 911 from a cellphone, be patient. Depending on your location, the call may not go to the proper agency, and you may have to be transferred to the right people to get you help.
• Cellphone callers should always be aware of their location when not at home and calling 911. Look for landmarks, street names or mile markers to help when giving your location.
• Stay on the line until the Dispatcher has all the information. We need to ask several questions during an emergency that are pertinent to get the correct resources headed your way.
• Leave your phone ON after making a 911 call in case we need to call you back.
• Keep in mind that living in a beautiful, rural community sometimes comes with a lack of strong cellphone coverage. This may prevent you from getting a good signal when calling 911. You may be asked, if possible, to change your location or ask someone else with a different cellphone provider and a better signal to help you make your call.

 

Please call us anytime at 989-724-0911 if you have any questions or comments.

 

 

"We answer the call when you need us the most"