Clackamas County 911

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A Day in the Life of a CCOM Dispatcher

Animal

• Clackamas Dog Services

Children and youth

• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)
• Safety Belt and Child Seat Laws
• Oregon Impact Distracted Driving and Car Seat Safety

Involved in a non-emergency vehicle crash?

• Oregon DMV Accident Reporting
• General DMV "How Do I…?"

Mental health crisis

• Behavioral Health | Mental Health Crisis Line

Neighborhood concerns

• Clackamas County Code Enforcement
• Dispute Resolution Services

Public safety links

• Clackamas County Jail
• Clackamas County Corrections
• Clackamas County Courts
• Clackamas County Juvenile
• Police & Fire Agencies
• Other 9-1-1 Agencies in Oregon

Tip lines or online reporting

• FBI Tips and Public Leads
• US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Tip Line Call 1-866-DHS-2-ICE
• Oregon State Patrol Email
• Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Call 503-723-4949
• Canby Police Department
• Oregon City Police Call 503-496-1616 (to report suspected drug activity)

• Audio/Printout Request Form
  Used for telephone/radio recordings.
• Business or Residential Address Update Form
  Update Information about alarms, gates or businesses'
• Premise/Hazard Form
  For law/fire agency use only — report premise hazards for CAD.
• Sign up for Public Alerts
• 9-1-1 Satisfaction Survey

When in doubt, always call 9-1-1
For non-emergencies, call 503-655-8211.

Emergency calls may include reports of:

• any emergency where life or property is in immediate danger
• injury requiring immediate medical attention
• fire (not a controlled burn pile or other controlled fire)
• crime in progress
• serious traffic accident
• violent dog has attacked a person (not just running at large)
• driver is dangerously swerving on the road
• someone is playing with guns

What to Expect When Calling 9-1-1

During any emergency, staying as calm as possible helps you get the fastest and most accurate assistance. Speak clearly, answer the call-taker’s questions, and stay on the line until you are told to disconnect.

What the Call-Taker Will Ask

When you call 9-1-1, the call-taker will:

• Ask for the address or location of the emergency. Be prepared to confirm it.
• Ask whether you need police, fire, or medical assistance.
• Ask a series of questions to help responders understand the situation and get you the right help.

Call-takers verify addresses as a safety measure to avoid sending responders to the wrong location.

Police Emergencies

You may be asked about:

• What is happening right now
• Whether weapons or alcohol/drugs are involved
• Where suspects are located
• Descriptions of people or vehicles

Fire Emergencies

You may be asked:

• What is burning
• Whether flames or smoke are visible
• Whether buildings are threatened
• Approximate size of the fire
• Whether hazardous materials are involved

If you are reporting a fire from inside your home, evacuating is the priority. Call-takers will dispatch help immediately.

Medical Emergencies

Expect questions about the medical problem, symptoms, and condition of the patient. This helps responders bring the right equipment and personnel.

Calling 9-1-1 From Different Types of Phones

Cell Phone

• Be prepared to say “help” or press 1 to reach a dispatcher.
• Know your location. Cell phones provide approximate coordinates, but they can be inaccurate or missing.
• When calling from a cell phone in Clackamas, Multnomah, or Washington counties, you will first hear a recording prompting you to say “help” or press 1. Instructions play in English and Spanish.

This system filters out accidental calls — about 20% of cell calls to 9-1-1 are pocket dials.

If your call reaches the wrong 9-1-1 center, dispatchers will transfer you to the correct location.

Landline (Home Phone)

Dial 9-1-1 directly. Your call connects straight to a call-taker in Clackamas County.

PBX/Business Phone

You may need to dial 9-9-1-1 depending on your system. If you normally dial 9 for an outside line, check with your employer or phone provider to confirm.

VoIP / Internet-Based Phone Systems

Before choosing a VoIP service, understand the following limitations:

• Some VoIP systems do not automatically support 9-1-1. You may need to activate this feature before it works.
• Not all VoIP providers route calls to actual 9-1-1 dispatchers. Some route to a general non-emergency number, which may be busy or delayed.
• Emergency responders may not be able to find you if the call drops, fails, or cannot transmit your location.
• Power or internet outages will disable your VoIP phone, including its ability to call 9-1-1.
• Network congestion can slow or affect routing of VoIP 9-1-1 calls.
• If others in your home or business do not know how to use your VoIP system, they may not be able to call 9-1-1 in an emergency.

• Fire Radio Book
• Law Radio Book
• Computer Automated Dispatch (CAD) User Change Request Form

The Clackamas County Department of Communications, C-COM, provides 9-1-1 emergency and non-emergency call-taking service to the public. C-COM also provides radio dispatch services to 14 Law and Fire agencies (8 Fire, 6 Law).

9-1-1 Service Area

We answer 9-1-1 calls for all of Clackamas County, except within the city limits of Lake Oswego, West Linn and Milwaukie, whose calls are answered by Lake Oswego 9-1-1 (LOCOM).

Dispatch Service Areas

C-COM provides dispatching services for the following agencies: