FAQ’s about Pilot Dispatch Program

Q. Will there be any change to the current way 9-1-1calls are answered?

A. No. As of January 2010 all 9-1-1 lines were permanently re-directed to and answered by Telecommunicators at the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety. Currently when a call is received at the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety, the call-taker will answer the phone with the following phrase, “9-1-1, Where is your emergency?”

Q. Will there be any change to the current way 9-1-1 Wireless Calls are answered?

A. No. When 9-1-1 was originally initiated in Montgomery County PA, in 1992 any calls originating from a wireless phone always went directly to and answered by Telecommunicators at the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety. Currently when a wireless call is received at the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety, the call-taker will answer the phone with the following phrase, “9-1-1, Where is your emergency?”

Q. Will there be any change to the current way the Lower Merion Police Department’s administrative number, 610-649-1000 will be answered?

A. No. The Lower Merion Police Department’s administrative number, 610-649-1000, will still be answered in Lower Merion Police Department’s Communications Center.

Q. What phone numbers, if any, will be answered by Telecommunicators atThe Montgomery County Department of Public Safety?

A. The former Lower Merion Township ten digit emergency lines, Police 610-642-4200 and Fire 610-649-4200 will be re-routed to and answered at the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety. These two lines were used as emergency numbers to contact the Lower Merion Township Police Communications Center prior to the inception of 9-1-1. Effective February 6^th 2011, whenever a call is received by the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety on the 610-642-4200 or 610-649-4200 lines the call-taker will answer the phone with the following phrase, “County Dispatch (followed by the call taker’s three digit identification number. i.e. 542”.

Q. What phone number do I call for general police information such as to  obtain police reports; contact Lower Merion Township Police personnel, to advise that your residence will be vacant and to request “No Parking Signs” for you residence?

A. You can continue to contact The Lower Merion Police Department directly onour administrative number, 610-649-1000.

Q. What phone number do I call for general Township information such as alarm system registration, codes enforcement, real estate tax, building and planning issues and any non-police related information?

A. You can continue to contact Lower Merion Township directly on the township’s administrative number, 610-649-4000.

Q. Will the Police Department’s response time differ that what we currently experience?

A. No. The only difference is that the Police Department will be dispatched by Telecommunicators at the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety. The Montgomery County Telecommunicators are bound by the same standards and receive the same training as Telecommunicators in the Lower Merion Township Communications Center. If 9-1-1, 610-642-4200 or 610-649-4200 is called and the caller has an administrative issue that does not require a police response the call-taker at the Montgomery County Department of Public safety will advise the caller to contact Lower Merion Township Police Department directly at 610-649-1000.

If you use a cell phone in one of our border communities, there’s a good chance that your call may end up in Philadelphia or another neighboring county.  And although the operator will transfer the call, the amount of time it takes to figure out the location of the emergency could make a difference in saving someone’s life.

When giving the location of your emergency, be sure to say: “I’m calling from Montgomery County”

That should be enough for the operator to transfer your call.  If they don’t respond accordingly, say it again: “I’m calling from Montgomery County”

This only applies to calls made from cell phones within range of towers that exist outside Montgomery County.  If you use a landline telephone, your call is automatically routed to the correct call center.