Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQs)
9-1-1
Dispatch Operations
CRESA Administration
Emergency Management
EMS – Emergency Medical Services
Human Resources
Region IV Homeland Security
Technical Services
9-1-1
Dispatch Operations
1.
Question: What is 9-1-1?
Answer:
9-1-1 is a three digit telephone number you can call
24 hours a day for Police, Fire or Medical emergencies.
2.
Question: Why 9-1-1?
Answer:
It saves valuable time in an EMERGENCY. According to
nationwide statistics, it can take up to 2 ½ minutes
to find your telephone directory and another 30 seconds
to locate the correct number. In an EMERGENCY, 3 minutes
is a long time - time that can be saved by remembering
to call 9-1-1.
3. Question: How does 9-1-1 work?
Answer: When you call 9-1-1, your call
is received by a trained communications specialist who
takes your information. Then, the appropriate police,
fire and/or medical services team located in your area
is notified, and service is dispatched. Hence the term
"9-1-1 Dispatcher."
4.
Question: When should 9-1-1 be used?
Answer:
Call 9-1-1 for police, fire and medical service when
an EMERGENCY response is needed.
5.
Question: How do I use 9-1-1?
Answer: Remain calm and speak clearly.
Provide the dispatcher with the following information.
**What is happening?
**Where is the location?
**What is your name, address and phone number?
While we ask these questions, we are entering the information
into a computerized dispatch system. Other dispatchers
can see that information and send help to you while
we are still talking to you on the phone. Answering
questions DOES NOT delay response. We will
often keep you on the phone and obtain more information
to give the responders. For example, it often helps
the paramedics on the ambulance to know what kind of
medication the patient takes every day. The patient
might have a breathing problem that is unrelated to
the medication, but that information will improve the
quality of the care paramedics can provide. Please remain
on the telephone to provide additional information as
requested by the dispatcher. DO NOT HANG UP
until the dispatcher advises you to do so.
6.
Question: What happens when I accidentally call
9-1-1 and hang up?
Answer: If you call from a wireline
phone, your address and phone number automatically appears
in the automatic number / location identification (ANI/ALI)
system. You will receive a call back from our dispatch
center to verify everything is okay. If you fail to
answer the phone, a police officer will be sent to your
address to make sure everyone is alright. If you call
from a cell phone, you may or may not receive a call
back depending on your cell phone carrier. That is why
it is important to provide your address and phone number
immediately when calling 9-1-1.
7.
Question: What if I don't know if my problem
is a real emergency?
Answer:
Each person may have a different idea of what is an
emergency. When in doubt, call 9-1-1 and the dispatcher
can direct you to the appropriate agency.
8.
Question: When I called 9-1-1, why did the dispatcher
ask me all those questions? All I needed was an ambulance!
Answer:
In order for you to receive an ambulance, our dispatchers
are required to ask a series of questions to determine
the nature and seriousness of the problem. Our dispatchers
are trained in the Medical Priority Dispatch System
which allows them to determine who responds and how
they respond.
9.
Question: If I have a problem after hours that
is not an emergency, is there another number I can call
beside 9-1-1?
Answer: There are no after hours 24/7
non-emergency phone numbers for fire, EMS (emergency
medical services) and police. If you have a concern
about anything that is "in progress," call 9-1-1, state
the problem, the location, and a description of subjects
or vehicles. We can always refer you to other agencies
if we determine it is not an "in progress" emergency.
Even a 5 minute delay can make the difference whether
police can find the bad guy. Don't delay; call right
away!!!
10.
Question: I called 9-1-1 and they asked me if
I had an "in progress" emergency. I said "no" and they
put me on hold for a long time. Why did I have to wait?
Answer:
Dispatchers may need to put you on hold if you do not
have an "in progress emergency. When dispatchers take
"in progress" calls such as medical, (especially cardiac
arrest, choking and childbirth), armed robberies and
fires, they may need to put you on hold so they can
take care of priority situations. That doesn't mean
your call is not important, but some calls take priority
over non emergency calls not in progress, so responding
units can get there quickly.
11.
Question: I called 9-1-1 for an ambulance and
I got a fire truck and an ambulance. Why did you send
me a fire truck too?
Answer:
Every time someone calls 9-1-1 for a medical situation,
our dispatchers send a fire "First Responder" unit to
the scene to assess the situation. Often times, the
first responders are closer and can arrive sooner to
provide treatment. All ambulances, as do most fire units
in Clark County, have paramedics on them to provide
treatment for injuries and medical conditions.
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CRESA
Administration
1.
Question: I called 9-1-1 recently. Can I get
a copy of that 9-1-1 information?
Answer:
Yes, you can fill out a Request for 9-1-1 Call Information
(see the 9-1-1 Info Requests form under "CRESA Administration").
There is no current fee if you just request the 9-1-1
Call Documentation (paper print outs). However, if you
want an audio recording (tape or CD), there is an Audio
Preparation Fee of $18.50 per hour, prorated to the
nearest quarter hour. Payment of this fee is due upon
pickup of your documentation.
2. Question: Can I attend one of CRESA's
Administrative Board meetings?
Answer:
Yes, CRESA's Board Meetings are open to the public.
A list of the scheduled meetings and their locations
is under the "CRESA Administration" section for Governance
and Funding.
3.
Question: I received really great customer service
from a CRESA employee. Is there a special way to commend
or thank an employee?
Answer:
We love to hear it when our employees do a great job,
and we have a feedback form available under the "CRESA
Administration" section. At the same time, we strive
to continually improve, so if there is something that
we could have done better, we want to hear from you
too. By filling out and submitting this form, you can
provide us with valuable feedback - positive or negative
- about your experience with CRESA's services or staff.
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Emergency
Management FAQ's
1.
Question: What is the evacuation plan?
Answer: In the event that an area needs
to be evacuated, law enforcement and fire personnel
will work together to identify evacuation routes, notify
residents, and coordinate transportation. Local officials
will also coordinate with the American Red Cross to
ensure that shelters are available that can receive
evacuated residents.
Clark County does not have many pre-identified evacuation
routes. This is because the kinds of disasters we have,
such as fires and earthquakes, require flexibility in
the routes that are used. Most evacuation routes are
established at the time of the emergency.
2. Question: Can what happened with Hurricane
Katrina in New Orleans and the Gulf States happen here?
Answer: Yes, but it won't be a hurricane.
The event will likely be an earthquake with a magnitude
of 8-9.0. The Cascadia Subduction Zone, just off of
our coast, is capable of generating a catastrophic earthquake
that will impact a huge segment of the Pacific Northwest,
from British Columbia to northern California.
Although the scope of the disaster will be similar,
we will not have some of the specific problems encountered
with Hurricane Katrina. For instance, an earthquake
does not typically require evacuation of an area.
In addition to local first responders and officials
continuing to do regular disaster drills to keep their
skills and resources ready for a big emergency, there
are many basic emergency preparedness
steps that citizens can take to make sure they aren't
stranded without food, water, and basic sanitation.
3. Question: Are Clark County Schools
prepared for disaster?
Answer: Clark County schools have worked
hard to protect our kids from disaster. Most schools
in Clark County have good disaster plans and they train
staff and conduct drills on a regular basis.
CRESA strongly encourages parents to ask schools about
their emergency plans. Do they have an updated emergency
plan? Have they practiced the plan? What do they want
you to do in the event of an emergency at the school?
An important forum for improving the preparedness of
schools in Clark County is the Clark County Safe Schools
Task Force. This is an active emergency preparedness
organization where first response, emergency management,
and school officials work together to improve school
preparedness. At the beginning of every school year
the Task Force conducts a safety and preparedness training
for school administrators. Every school year, the Task
Force also conducts audits of several randomly selected
schools to ensure their plans are adequate.
4. Question: How will I be warned of
a disaster?
Answer: In the event of an emergency
in your neighborhood, first responders may simply go
door-to-door or use public address systems to let you
know if you need to evacuate or take some other protective
action. There are a number of other tools that emergency
officials have to provide warning.
a) News releases – If time allows, emergency officials
may simply broadcast emergency information to the
news media. We have methods in place to rapidly notify
the media.
b) Emergency
Alert System (EAS) – This is another method of
using radio, television, and cable broadcasts to warn
the public of an emergency. EAS is a system that gives
emergency officials and the National Weather Service
immediate access to broadcast stations. Unlike standard
news releases, EAS broadcasts can be issued very quickly
and they can be issued on all radio, television, and
cable systems, not just those with news departments.
c) NOAA
Weather Radio – This is a special consumer radio
that will sound an alarm when triggered by emergency
officials or the National Weather Service. The alarm
is followed by an emergency message. NOAA Weather
Radios are essential for preparedness. CRESA highly
recommends that Clark County residents get a NOAA
Weather Radio. They start at about $40 and can be
purchased from several retail electronics stores.
d) East County Emergency AM Radio – The City of Camas
operates a community radio system for public information
on 1670 AM. The transmitter is located on Prune Hill
and has a range of three to five miles, depending
on weather conditions. This station is also used to
transmit emergency information. Also, if you hear
the Georgia Pacific Mill siren you should turn to
this station.
e) Sirens – The Georgia Pacific Mill in Camas, Washington
has the only siren system for emergency warning in
Clark County. It is located on the mill site and has
a range of approximately one mile. It is primarily
intended to warn residents in the area of an emergency
at the mill that may have an impact on the community,
but it may be used for other emergencies in that area.
When you hear that siren, it means that you should
tune to 1670 AM for emergency instructions.
5. Question: Is there a designated radio
or television station that broadcasts disaster information?
Answer: There is no designation station
for emergency broadcasts. In the event of an emergency
we encourage you to tune to your favorite radio or television
news station for information. The major news broadcasters
do a good job in providing current emergency information.
Camas area residents –The City of Camas operates a community
radio system for public information on 1670 AM. The
transmitter is located on Prune Hill and has a range
of three to five miles, depending on weather conditions.
This station is also used to transmit emergency information.
Also, if you hear the Georgia Pacific siren you should
turn to this station.
6. Question: I have family members and
neighbors who are elderly and disabled. I worry about
what would happen to them in a disaster. How will they
be taken care of?
Answer: Disasters tend to be hit the
elderly and disabled the hardest. Emergency officials
will do everything they can to assist people with special
needs in an emergency. However, we have a limited number
of emergency response personnel and it may take a while
before the elderly and disabled get the support they
need.
You can help the elderly and disabled get prepared by
helping them develop personal support networks. These
are simply networks of at least three people who are
roommates, relatives, neighbors, friends, or co-workers
who will help the person in an emergency. People in
the network know the person’s special needs, they have
their emergency contact information, and they will check
on the person in an emergency to see if they need assistance.
For more information, see the American Red Cross publication,
Disaster
Preparedness for People With Disabilities.
Also, if your elderly or disabled friends and family
live in a boarding home, nursing home, or adult family
home, find out what the emergency plan is for that facility.
What do they want you to do in an emergency that impacts
the facility? What is the plan for evacuating the facility
and have they practiced it?
7. Question: Where are the disaster shelters
located in my community?
Answer: The American Red Cross is responsible
for setting up shelters. The Southwest Washington Chapter
of the American Red Cross has agreements for the use
of certain schools, churches, and other community buildings.
The locations of shelters will vary based on the type
and location of the emergency event, the number of persons
directly affected by the emergency, and the intended
use of a shelter (e.g., a warming shelter versus a sleeping
shelter). For this reason, shelter locations are not
pre-announced or posted anywhere.
8. Question: Do we still have bomb shelters?
Answer: Clark County does not have
any shelters designated as bomb or fallout shelters.
The term “bomb” shelter is from the Civil Defense era
of the 1950’s. If a conventional or a nuclear bomb explosion
occurred in Clark County, officials would provide emergency
instructions. Depending on the situation, citizens might
be asked to evacuate an area, or to shelter-in-place.
9. Question: What is the emergency plan
for Clark County?
Answer: The jurisdictions in Clark
County have plans for how they will prepare for, respond
to, and recover from a disaster. The plans are consistent
with state and federal disaster plans. These plans identify
the roles and responsibilities of key officials and
departments, establish chains of command and reporting,
and establish methods of communication and coordination.
For more information see, Emergency
Planning.
10. Question: How long will it take for
help to arrive in a disaster?
Answer: The amount of time it takes
for help to arrive in your community after a disaster
will depend on the size and scope of the disaster. On
any given day in our community, we have enough first
response personnel to handle a routine number of calls
for help. But when disaster strikes, these personnel
may be quickly overwhelmed. Just like the rest of us,
they have families to take care of. Emergency vehicles
may be held up because of blocked or damaged roads and
9-1-1 and public safety communication systems may be
damaged.
We have plans in place to mobilize the local resources
in Clark County and to call on resources from surrounding
counties, and from the state and federal government.
But we know from real disasters that it may take three
days or longer for enough help to arrive to address
everyone’s needs.
This is why CRESA strongly encourages all Clark County
residents to be prepared to be on their own for at least
three days. This is a realistic amount of time during
which emergency services, utilities, and critical infrastructure
will be disrupted. For more information, see Emergency
Preparedness.
11. Question: How can I prepare myself
and my family for a disaster?
Answer: Develop a disaster plan for
your family and practice your plan. A good plan will
include special considerations for children, pets, or
others with special needs, as well as establishing an
out-of-area contact to
serve as a message board for you to leave messages for
you and your loved ones. As another basic emergency
preparedness step you should also assemble a 72-
hour kit (as a minimum) with some emergency supplies.
You can also take some mitigation
steps around the home, school and workplace to lessen
the extent of damage when a disaster does strike.
12. Question: How can I prepare my workplace
for a disaster?
Answer: As part of your employer’s
responsibility for providing a safe workplace, they
should have plans for protecting employee health and
safety during a disaster. Employees should know what
they should do in an emergency. They should know how
to exit the facility safely and the evacuation meeting
location.
Every workplace should have a ‘facility emergency plan’.
This is a plan for protecting the health and safety
of building occupants. It should identify who is in
charge, how to evacuate, how to respond to fires, medical
emergencies, and disasters, how to report emergencies,
and other items.
Work with your employer to identify what planning and
preparedness measures need to be in place. CRESA, the
American Red Cross, and your local fire department can
assist you with the development of your facility emergency
plan.
13. Question: What should I do if a disaster
strikes and the phones don’t work?
Answer: First of all, when disaster
strikes, you should limit your use of the telephone.
Only use the telephone to call 9-1-1. This will leave
the circuits open for more urgent calls.
In a disaster the telephone system may be damaged or
it may simply be that circuits are busy because so many
people are using the phones. If the circuits are overloaded
you may hear a fast busy signal after you dial the number.
If this is the case, try calling a friend or family
member at a long distance number. Long-distance calls
bypass the local phone switch. You may have a better
chance getting through to them then if you made a local
call.
Here again, preparedness is the key. Act now to identify
a friend or family member outside of the local calling
area (out-of-area contact)
and make arrangements for you and your family to contact
them to let them know your status. This can provide
an enormous reassurance to you and your loved ones in
an emergency.
Also, in your family emergency plan, figure out what
your family will do if the phones don’t work. You may
want to identify a central location where you can all
meet.
14. Question: Will my mobile phone work
in a disaster?
Answer: Mobile phones are connected
into the same phone system that regular, landline phones
are connected to. They are not necessarily any more
or less reliable then landline telephones.
15. Question: What is the role of the
military in a disaster?
Answer: The military may be called
upon to support state or local governments in disaster
upon request. Military resources must be requested and
they will come strictly in a support role. They won’t
be in charge of the response. National Guard resources
may be requested from the governor. Other federal military
branches must be requested through the federal government.
16. Question: Who is in charge when a
disaster strikes?
Answer: The chief elected official
is responsible for emergency management in their jurisdiction.
In jurisdictions with a strong city manager form of
government, it’s the city manager who is responsible.
But in an emergency, the chief elected official or city
manager delegates the responsibility for incident management
to their public health and safety agencies. The most
qualified person designated to be in charge of the incident
is called the ‘incident commander’. This person has
complete authority for direction and control of emergency
operations. In major incidents, where the disaster overlaps
jurisdictional boundaries or areas of responsibility,
a ‘unified command’ may be established, where multiple
commanders work together to manage the incident. This
ensures that these stakeholders can fulfill their critical
responsibilities. The incident commander or unified
commanders must still answer to the elected official
or city manager of the jurisdiction they represent.
All agencies in Clark County use the same method to
determine chains of command and authority. It is called
the NIMS
Incident Command System. This comprehensive incident
management system applies to every type of emergency,
large or small. It is what we use to ensure that every
level of government and every involved organization
will work together seamlessly to protect life and property.
17. Question: Is it possible for a tsunami
to impact Clark County?
Answer: Not directly. Clark County
is far enough inland that the energy of a tsunami would
dissipate before it could reach us. However, if a tsunami
were to strike the Pacific coast, our community may
be impacted by people leaving the emergency area and
relocating for shelter and other services.
18.
Question: When disaster strikes, what is the
best way to help other people in need?
Answer: The best way to help is with
donations of cash to credible non-profit organizations.
The needs of disaster victims vary over time, so cash
donations provide for the greatest flexibility. Cash
donations can also help rebuild the economy of the impacted
area. Be sure that you only donate to recognized organizations.
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for fraudulent individuals
or organizations to take advantage of everyone’s desire
to help people in need. Be sure to do your research.
Another great way to help is to volunteer. The American
Red Cross has an extensive and well-organized program
to use volunteers for their mass care and shelter operations.
See if your church has a national organization that
has disaster recovery mission. Several of them have
programs to help with rebuilding, warehousing, donations
management, and other aspects of disaster recovery.
Other professional associations and non-profit organizations
may also be able to put you to work as a volunteer.
It is seldom helpful to donate material items. Clothing
and food, in particular, are almost never needed. Unless
it is done carefully, donated goods can hurt more then
they help. They require assessment, sorting, and distribution.
We know from real disasters that donated goods often
end up in the landfill because the impacted community
doesn’t have the ability to process the items.
In some instances, donated goods may be requested. Here
again, do your research and make sure that that you
are donating goods through a credible organization and
that the goods are needed.?
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Emergency
Medical Services FAQ's
For
medical emergency questions and calls, click here to
go to 9-1-1 Dispatch Operations
questions above.
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Human
Resources
1.
Question: How can I get a job as a 911 Dispatcher?
Answer: CRESA holds open and competitive
recruitments for 9-1-1 / Communications Dispatcher positions
several times per year. The recruitment establishes
a list of eligible candidates, who may be selected to
fill current and future vacancies for up to one year
from their eligibility. For more information and upcoming
recruitment dates, please click on our Jobs and Careers
link.
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Region
IV Homeland Security FAQs
1.
Question: What is the Region IV Homeland Security
program?
Answer:
Region IV is one of Washington State's nine regional
coordinating offices that receive federal grant funding
for Homeland Security purposes. This funding is designated
to help provide emergency responders (first responders)
with equipment, training and awareness to effectively
respond to homeland security threats. Emergency / First
Responder agencies include Fire, Law Enforcement, HAZMAT,
EMS, Public Health, Hospitals, Public Works, and Communications.
2. Question: Who is involved in Region
IV's Homeland Security program?
Answer: Region IV covers four counties
in Washington State: Clark County, Cowlitz County, Skamania
County, and Wahkiakum County. The emergency responders
(first responders) in each agency participate, and include
Fire, Law Enforcement, HAZMAT, EMS, Public Health, Hospitals,
Public Works, and Communications.
3.
Question: What does Region IV do?
Answer:
Region IV's mission is to protect the citizens, property,
environment, culture and economy of Region IV from acts
of terrorism, and to minimize the effects of a terrorist
attack. "Being Prepared is Everyone's Responsibility.
Some of Region IV's core values include developing effective
partnerships, leadership and communication; preventing
attacks and reducing vulnerabilities; and helping train
and educate for emergency preparedness and response.
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Technical
Services
1.
Question: How do I know if my cell phone is Phase
I or Phase II compliant?
Answer: Consult your cell phone user's
manual. If the cell phone is equipped with a GPS chip,
then the telephone is Phase II compliant.
2.
Question: I am considering buying VoIP (voice
over internet protocol) service. How can I be sure my
VoIP will connect to the correct 9-1-1 Center if I call
during an emergency?
Answer: Most VoIP providers have internet
web pages that contain all the information needed to
evaluate their ability to handle emergency communications.
In addition, the information should be found in the
contract for services.
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To
learn more about how we serve you, please explore our
web site. If you have additional questions you may e-mail
us at cresa@clark.wa.gov.
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