The Communications Center is the central dispatch facility serving all of the Sheriff’s office field personnel; patrol, investigations, Ag. & marine units, community volunteers. In addition 911 dispatches Fire & Rescue for the County.
The Communications Center operates with a staff of highly trained and specially qualified personnel. All 9-1-1 public safety telecommnunicators employed by the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office have met the requirements and are certified by the State of Florida under 401.465.
Text to 911 is available in Nassau County Florida
Important Information for Text to 9-1-1 Users
Always Call if you Can, Text if you Can’t
Text to 9-1-1 is available for AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon customers.
Text messages should be brief and concise.
Text abbreviations and slang should never be used so that the intent of the dialog can be as clear as possible.
Text to 9-1-1 should only be used for emergency situations that require a response from police, fire or emergency medical services.
Be prepared to tell the Call taker where you are and what the emergency is.
Important Limitations for text to 9-1-1.
There may be a delay in the message reaching 9-1-1.
There is no guarantee of message delivery.
Location accuracy not as reliable as a phone call to 9-1-1.
Tips For Calling 911
When calling 911 you will be asked many questions. Answering those questions will not delay a response so be prepared to answer questions like:
- What is the address of the emergency?
- What is your name?
- What is the telephone number you are calling from?
- What is the problem?
If you have to call 911 here are some simple tips to follow:
- Stay calm and speak slowly.
- Tell the 911 call taker what is wrong and where you need help.
- Speak up and clearly when the 911 call taker asks you questions.
- Stay on the phone until 911 call taker tells you to hang up.
Calling 911 by Mistake
Stay on the phone if you call by mistake and tell the dispatcher that everything is alright. A deputy may be dispatched to your location to confirm that everything is OK.
Using the Non-Emergency Number:
Some examples of when to call one of our non-emergency numbers instead of 911. Fernandina Beach/Yulee 904-225-5174, Callahan/Hilliard/Jacksonville 1-855-725-2630 (main administrative line), 1-855-725-2631 (detention center/jail), 1-855-725-2632 (911 center)
- Your house was broken into yesterday.
- Your car was stolen sometime overnight or earlier in the day.
- You need to add additional information to a report that was made earlier.
- Someone stole your bike while you were at school.
FAQ
Q. When should someone call 911?
A. 911 should only be called for emergency situations. The NCSO encourages citizens not to hesitate about calling 911, but if it is not an emergency please call our non-emergency number at 904-225-5174.
Q. Why do they ask so many questions when you call 911?
A. In most situations, the call taker or dispatcher is simply trying to obtain information that can be relayed to the deputy or emergency responder responding to your call.
Q. What type of training is required to become a dispatcher and how long does the training take?
A. Dispatchers have class room training along with on the job training and the training program takes approximately 6 months to complete. After completing the training program dispatchers are continuously going thru training to keep up on certifications and standards. Dispatchers also have to be state certified as Public Safety Telecommunicators.
Q. What type of calls does dispatch handle?
A. Any and all calls received from the citizens of Nassau County regarding Law Enforcement or Fire/ Rescue.
Q. If I see a crime in progress what should I do?
A. Call 911 immediately. Under no circumstance should you try to apprehend the suspect or take matters into your hands. DO NOT place yourself at risk. Observe and record as much information about the person or persons or vehicle as you can, including the precise and proper location of the alleged crime and the suspects information such as age, sex, race, clothing etc. A deputy will be dispatched as soon as possible.
Q. If I see a suspicious or abandoned vehicle, what should I do?
A. Call the NCSO at 904-225-5174 to report this. If you have the tag information and provide an exact location and description of the vehicle, this would also be helpful.
Q. Do I have to give my name when I call Dispatch?
A. No. When you call the non-emergency number (904-225-5174), your personal information does not appear on the telephone line except for caller ID.
