Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-Emergency: 352-369-7070

The 911 Communications Center serves the citizens of the City of Ocala as the primary 911 Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). The division fields calls and dispatches calls requesting a response from police, fire, and emergency medical services. Our call center handles more than 300,000 calls per year. All employees receive a minimum of 232 hours of training and are certified by the Department of Health as a Public Safety Telecommunicator.

The Communications Center is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is located in Ocala at the Ocala Police Department.

We hope you find this guide useful in learning about 911 and how to use its services.

How it works…

Calls to 911 are free and can be made using a conventional telephone or cellular phone. Most conventional phones provide the 911 center with an exact location or address of the caller. Cell phones, unlike conventional phones, will not provide an exact address. They provide GPS coordinates which can vary on the accuracy of your location based on your distance from a cell tower, interference, etc. So when using a cell phone, it is important to have a good idea of your location in case you need help and the 911 operator can't pinpoint where you are.

When to call 911…

Calls to 911 are for immediate need for police, fire, or medical assistance. It should not be called for general questions. However, if in doubt, call 911.

If you have a general question, you should call 352-369-7070.

What happens when I call 911?

You should remain calm. The communications technician needs specific information from you and there may be lots of questions asked. Often people don’t understand why we ask so many questions. We do it to gather all pertinent information so we may send the proper help to you. Also, by asking a pre-scripted set of questions, we don’t miss anything. We know that it can be frustrating to answer lots of questions but it is important.

Some other tips to follow:

• Always know where you are to provide a good location. (i.e. street, business, main landmarks)
• Never hang up until told to do so by the 911 operator.
• Don’t let children play with old cell phones – they may still be able to dial 911, even without service.
• Memorize important details about you and your family in case it is needed.
• Try not to be too frightened – remain as calm as you can.
• Never make or allow someone to make false calls. It is a crime.
• Teach even your young children how to use 911. They need to know their name, address, phone number, and ways to reach you.

Can I call 911 if I am deaf?

OPD Communications Center is equipped with TDD / TTY machines and can communicate with you as long as you have a device at your calling location that can do so. Our communications staff is trained in how to use them and will ask you questions to determine what emergency assistance you may need.

Should I get rid of my landline phone?

Some people have opted to just drop their landline or conventional phone in lieu of a cell phone. This is a personal decision but there is a possible situation that you should be aware of. If you live in an apartment or in a complex where you have many residents around you and you call 911 from a cell phone, it may be difficult to determine which residence you live in based on cell phone inaccuracy.

What if you can’t speak and can’t give an apartment number? Just something to consider!

Another thing to think about. All of the infrastructures for landline phones are underground. This design is more resilient during severe weather or other disasters. Cell towers are more vulnerable to failure. Also, if you are using a Voice Over IP (VOIP) phone, depending on the carrier, they don’t always register your location either.

Can I send texts to 911?

Yes. Text to 911 is available for police, fire, and medical emergencies. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) suggests contacting 9-1-1 by making a voice call, if you can as voice calls to 911 provide more information to responders.

• Call if you can – text if you can’t.
• If you are deaf, hard of hearing or speech disabled, use text to 911, TTY, or a telecommunications relay service.
• Location accuracy varies by carrier and should not be relied upon. Be prepared to give your location.
• Text to 911 service will not be available if the wireless carrier cannot ascertain a location of the device sending the message.
• Text to 911 is not available if you are roaming.
• A text or data plan is required to place a text to 911.
• Photos and videos cannot be sent to 911. They cannot be received at the 911 center at this time.
• Text messages should be sent in plain language and not contain popular abbreviations (SMH, LOL, ICYMI) or emojis, which will not be recognized.
• Text to 911 cannot be sent to more than one person. Do not send your emergency text to anyone other than 911.
• Texts must be in English only. There currently is no language interpretation for text available.

Is 911 a free call?

Yes. There is no charge for calling 911.

Do I have to call someone at the 911 center to let them know I moved to a new house and have a landline phone?

No, when you set up phone service, the phone company automatically updates that information.

If I don’t have phone service at home but have a landline phone plugged in, can I call 911?

Maybe! Sometimes it will work and sometimes it will not, depending on how long the service was disconnected and other factors. It is not to be relied upon.

My cell phone is from out of state. If I called 911, would it ring to my home state?

No. This is a big misconception. Cell phones work by connecting to the closest cell tower to where your phone is located. Calling 911 in Marion County routes your call to Marion County 911 which will be answered by OPD Communications or Marion County Public Safety based on your current location.