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Cellular 911 - When to Call

Cellular 911 is only for emergencies - fire, medical, collisions and crime Call Cellular 911 to report fires - location, type, size and other details

Call Cellular 911 when:

  1. There is a life threatening medical emergency
  2. There is a crime in progress
  3. There is a reckless or suspected intoxicated driver. (Be sure to get the license number)
  4. A serious traffic accident or incident is blocking traffic lanes
  5. Any type of fire is seen - vehicle, structure or wildfire
  6. A traffic hazard, disabled vehicle or debris is blocking the roadway


When using Cellular 911, be prepared to answer the following questions:

  • Who is involved?
  • What happened?
  • Where did the incident occur?
  • When did the incident occur?

Know your Cellular telephone number in the event you are disconnected or if the dispatcher needs additional information about the incident.

Cellular 911 is an important safety tool. However, if you don't know your location, emergency response personnel will undoubtedly be delayed. Every second counts in an emergency. Remember:

Know Your Location

All Cellular 911 calls are routed to CHP Communications Centers. Unlike landline 911, the dispatcher cannot identify the cellular phone number of the location of the cellular phone. Be prepared to provide the dispatcher with your location and the exact location of the emergency.

DON'T

call Cellular 911 for general information:

  1. Weather report
  2. Road conditions
  3. Directions
  4. Phone numbers
  5. Theater / movie times
  6. Cat stuck in a tree

Know your cellular phone before you use it

To report life-threatening emergencies... Cellular 911
  • Learn how it operates
    Insist on a demonstration of how to use your phone safely at the time of installation or during a test drive. Read the owner's manual carefully.
  • Install your phone properly
    Cellular telephones should be installed for your driving comfort. They should be easily accessible, within comfortable reach in your usual sdriving posture and as close to your line of vision as possible.
  • Try it first!
    Practice using your phone while the car is stationary. Familiarize yourself with every feature and every function, from placing to receving calls. Do not test 911.
  • Use memory dialing
    Program frequently called numbers into your phone's memory. One number in the permanent memory should be 911, for emergency calls. If you plan to return a series of calls while on the road, make a list before you leave home or the office and store those numbers in the memory.

CHP 939  (Rev 4/1997)  OPI 013

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