Public Education Program

St. Tammany Parish 9-1-1 education may save lives. In response to the growing need for 9-1-1 education, the St. Tammany Parish Communications District has implemented educational programs for local schools and community groups throughout St. Tammany Parish.  The St. Tammany Parish Communications District is dedicated to educating the public in all of St. Tammany Parish about the purpose and the proper use of the emergency phone number 9-1-1.

Due to today’s rapidly changing technology it is vital that the resident’s of St. Tammany  know how and when to dial    9-1-1 with the phone they own.

When should you call 9-1-1?

Nine-one-one should only be used in an emergency situation. An emergency is any situation that requires immediate assistance from the police/sheriff, the fire department or an ambulance. If you are ever in doubt of whether a situation is an emergency you should call 9-1-1. It’s better to be safe and let the 9-1-1 call taker determine if you need emergency assistance.

Never Prank Call 9-1-1

It’s a prank call when someone calls 9-1-1 for a joke.  If 9-1-1 lines or call takers are busy with prank calls, someone with a real emergency may not be able to get the help they need. 

Know How to Dial 9-1-1 with the Phone You Own

Traditional, Hard-Wired Landline Phones

• Provides the 9-1-1 call taker with your exact location, phone number and address.
• Landline phones will not work during telephone outages.
• Cordless phones will not work during electrical power outages.

All Cell Phones

• Dial 9-1-1 and press “Send” or “Talk”
• Give the 9-1-1 call taker your location using the address, cross streets or landmarks. Most cell phones provide an approximate, but not exact location to 9-1-1 centers that have advanced equipment.
• Calls may not arrive at the correct 9-1-1 center and many have to be transferred.
• Calls may drop or fail to go through based on signal strength.
• Keep your phone charged.
• The 9-1-1 system is not equipped to receive text messages.