Fire Picture Dialing 9-1-1 for emergency help is still fairly new in Peabody Massachusetts. 9-1-1 service is still unavailable in many parts of the United States. In addition, what happens when 9-1-1 is dialed varies dramatically, depending on the jurisdiction handling the call.
In the City of Peabody, we have enhanced 9-1-1 (E9-1-1) service which offers many features unavailable in other areas. Enhanced 9-1-1 service automatically provides the emergency dispatchers with the telephone number of the caller, the address, the closest cross streets and map coordinates. Incoming calls are routed directly to the Peabody Police Department's dispatch center located at Police Headquarters on Allen's Lane. Calls for fire are transferred to the Peabody Fire Alarm Office. The closest fire apparatus is selected with the assistance of a computer and then dispatched. Calls for medical emergencies are transferred to the private ambulance company contracted by the City, currently Northshore Ambulance Company.The quality of our emergency service is enhanced by the training and experience of Fire Department dispatchers in Peabody. All emergency calls are answered by Peabody firefighters.

Calls to 9-1-1 should only be used when a true emergency exists. Non emergency calls to 9-1-1 can create delays in handling other very serious emergencies that require immediate assistance. When you do call, be ready with the following information:

  • Description of the emergency.
    Is it a Fire?
    Is someone ill?
    Do you need police assistance?

If your call is for a fire, your call will be transferred to the fire alarm office. You will hear the phone start ringing again while the transfer is taking place. The fire dispatcher will answer
"Fire Department".

Be prepared to provide the fire dispatcher the following information:

  • Location of the fire including address, building or apartment number
  • What is burning
  • Is the building occupied or is everyone safe outside?
Remain calm and give direct answers to the questions asked. Speak slowly and clearly. You may be asked additional questions so the dispatcher can send the right type of help.

If you call 9-1-1 from a cellular phone in the Peabody area, the call will be routed through the Massachusetts State Police. The caller's location will not be identified automatically. It is extremely important to give clear and accurate instructions to the location of the emergency. Highway interchanges are especially difficult for emergency responders who haven't been given accurate locations. A good example is the I-95 and Route 128 interchanges in Peabody. There are several separate on and off ramps along these routes of travel. If a wrong location is given, 10 - 20 minutes may be required to travel to the next off ramp and respond back to the emergency along the correct route.

Understanding what happens when a 9-1-1 call is placed will help the system run more efficiently and will bring you the emergency help you need in the shortest possible time.
911 UpdateSilent Call Processing
With 9-1-1 Silent Call Processing, all you have to do is dial 9-1-1 on your regular touch tone phone. If you can't talk, press the appropriate numbers for a response.
The call taker can dispatch the correct emergency team to the address displayed on the monitor. So if you need emergency assistance, dial 9-1-1. Once the call is answered by the call taker, press;
1 for the Police Dept.
2 for the Fire Dept.
3 for the Ambulance Service
Remember: The Silent Call Procedure requires the use of a touch-tone telephone.

Helping make our community a better, safer place to live!
Dial 9-1-1 in case of an Emergency!