911 Communications

Dialing 911 is the fastest way to get help in an emergency.

Our 911 dispatch provides regional emergency communication service for residents in southeast Alberta.

This includes Fire & Emergency Services, the Medicine Hat Police Service and rural fire departments in Redcliff and the County of 40 Mile.

 Frequently asked questions
 
How does 911 work?
When a caller dials 911, the Medicine Hat 911 operator will ask “What is your emergency?”

911 operators connects the caller to the proper agency the caller has requested.

911 operators are trained to help determine which agency is required in an emergency. This may be a call taken locally (Fire, Police) or transferred to another 911 agency (RCMP, EMS). The entire process usually takes less than 30 seconds.
Does Medicine Hat 911 receive a lot of unnecessary 911 calls?
Our 911 call centre receives numerous accidental 911 calls each day. One reason is because people have 911 saved in their smart phones in positions where keys may be pressed accidentally.

911 is not an information line and should be used only for emergencies. Information about disasters and major events will be shared by the City of Medicine Hat.
What happens if I dial 911 accidentally?

Please remain on the line. If you hang up, our 911 operators will call you back to confirm you are okay, or send police to check on you.

 

Accidental calls will not be charged a fee.
Why am I asked “what town or city?” Can't operators see I'm in Medicine Hat?
The Medicine Hat 911 Communications Centre is the public safety answer point (PSAP) for the City of Medicine Hat, Town of Redcliff, County of 40 Mile, Bow Island and the Town of Foremost.

 

This information is important to ensure we get you the best response in the least amount of time.
Why do they ask me all those questions? All I want is for them to send me help!

In an emergency, we need accurate and specific information to share with first responders. The questions we ask are designed to better understand the emergency, your safety, as well as the safety of our first responders.

 

Once your city or town and emergency is determined, fire, police and/or EMS services are notified.
 What are the most important things to know when calling 911?
  • Know your location (address, building name, or intersection)
  • Stay on the line and answer the questions to the best of your ability
  • If you call 911 by accident, stay on the line and let our operators know you are okay
  • 911 is not the place to call for the weather, power outages, municipal services, seasonal time change, or to call a tow truck or taxi. Please do not call 911 and ask for the ‘non-emergency' phone number.
I'm hearing impaired, how can I get in touch with 911?
Text to 911 is a service which allows you to communicate with 911 via text messaging.

Become a 911 Dispatch Operator

Our 911 Communications Centre was the first in the world to become a Tri-Accredited Centre of Excellence (ACE) in fire, police and medical protocols. This accreditation ensures our operators are protecting residents and emergency personnel by meeting the highest standards. All data is examined by the National Academy of Emergency Dispatch on a regular basis to ensure this standard is met.

Current career opportunities

 Requirements
  • Must be able to commit to shift work covering days, evenings, nights, statutory holidays, and special events – all of which may include being called in on short notice
  • Must be eligible to work in Canada
  • Successful completion of aptitude test and computer skills testing
  • First phase of security clearance
  • Sit for 6 hours
  • Grade 12 Diploma or GED
  • Current Standard First Aid/Level C CPR (Adult, Child & Infant)
  • Current Emergency Fire and Police Dispatching Courses (EFD, EPD)
  • Interview process
  • Satisfactory performance in behavior testing and a Behavioural Descriptive interview process that addresses individual character attributes and suitability to perform as a team member
  • Second phase of the security clearance (includes polygraph)
  • Free of criminal activity for 36 months (ie: no illegal drug usage, impaired driving, theft, etc.)
  • Must pass the City of Medicine Hat hearing requirements
  • This position has been identified as safety sensitive and requires the completion of a satisfactory pre-employment drug screening
  • Candidate selection evaluation
  • We also ask that you carefully consider the requirements in relation to security clearance and that you fully understand the commitment to shift work