What is 9-1-1?
For emergency assistance, dial 9-1-1 on your telephone to reach an operator that will answer your call and request which type of service is required. After being connected to either the police, fire or ambulance service in your area, please ensure you remain on the line until told to hang up. Allow the operator to control the conversation and answer all questions to the best of your ability. In emergency situations, help is likely already on the way to you as you are giving the information to the operator.
A situation where the safety of people or property is at risk.
Examples of 9-1-1 emergencies include:
|It is not an emergency when immediate action is not necessary.
Examples of a non-emergency situation include:
If the emergency is not life threatening or dangerous then call our non-emergency line at 705-436-2141 or 905-775-3311
At home dial 9-1-1. Do not pre-program 9-1-1 into your telephone, this can cause dialing problems if the battery is low on cordless phones or the button is hit accidentally. At a business or other locations you may need to dial an outside line before dialing 9-1-1. At a pay phone dial 9-1-1, coins are not necessary.
When using a cellular phone you must specify that you are using such and be prepared to give your location, including the city or town.
If you call 9-1-1 remain calm.
Please remain on the line and explain to the call taker that no emergency exists. If you don’t, call takers and emergency personnel are forced to waste valuable time and resources tracking you down to confirm that no emergency exists.
For non-emergency calls or for general information, do not dial 9-1-1. Contact South Simcoe Police at 705-436-2141 or 905-775-3311.
Available for the Deaf, Deafened, Hard of Hearing and Speech Impaired (DHHSI) effective April 4, 2016.
Can anyone use T9-1-1?
No. Currently, only Deaf, Deafened, Hard of Hearing or Speech impaired (DHHSI) persons may register for this service.
How do I text with 9-1-1?
To be eligible, DHHSI persons must have a compatible cell phone and must register with their wireless service provider. Without registration, there is no access to T9-1-1 services. For a list of cellphones that meet T9-1-1 requirements refer to your wireless service provider’s website.
How does the T9-1-1 service work?
When a DHHSI person requires 9-1-1 services, they must dial 9-1-1 on their cell phone to establish direct contact with the 9-1-1 call centre. They do not need to speak. Because of the registration process, the calltaker will receive an indicator with every T9-1-1 call to let them know that they must respond to the caller by text message. Until the caller receives that first text message from 9-1-1, they are not able to text with a call taker.
What if I dial 9-1-1 and I do not receive a text response?
T9-1-1 is considered a “best efforts” service due to technology limitations associated with text messaging. This means like with any text message, that there is no guarantee a text message will be sent, delivered or received in a timely manner. In some instances, it may take longer than one minute to receive the initial text message.
What information should be sent by text?
The T9-1-1 service should only be used for emergency situations. The more specific you are when answering the questions from the call taker, the more quickly help can be sent. Text the following information: the location where help is needed, the service (police, ambulance or fire department) required, and the reason (what is wrong) that you need help with. The call taker will ask for more details based on these answers. Be sure to answer all questions as best as you can.
Do I have to provide location information in the text?
Yes. Providing location information and the nature of the emergency in the first message is important. The 9-1-1 call taker may receive an approximate GPS location of your cell phone with your 9-1-1 call, but is not a guaranteed accurate location. It is important that the caller confirms the exact location of the emergency to avoid unnecessary delays.
Is T9-1-1 available Canadawide?
T9-1-1 will be made available across the country as Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPS or 9-1-1 Centre) make the appropriate network upgrades. The service availability section of the TEXT with 9-1-1 website located at www.textwith911.ca is updated regularly and is the best source of current information as to where in Canada T9-1-1 services are available.
Text with 9-1-1 Tips
9-1-1 Limitations with Cell Phones and Internet Phones (VoIP)
The South Simcoe Police want to remind residents that when calling 9-1-1 from a cell phone or internet-based phone (VoIP), emergency operators may not automatically know your location. This can delay help if you can’t provide the details yourself.
How Traditional 9-1-1 Works
Cell Phones
Internet Phones (VoIP)
What To Do When Calling 9-1-1 from a Cell Phone or VoIP
Always be prepared to:
Remember: With cell phones and VoIP, help can only find you if you provide accurate and detailed location information.
IMPORTANT: Consumers should contact their telecommunications service providers to familiarize themselves with the options and restrictions of their telephone device and service plan in relation to access to 9-1-1.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) Website (www.crtc.gc.ca) provides information about decisions regarding VoIP services.
In October 2025, the South Simcoe Police Service launched the Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1). This initiative is multi-staged and designed to modernize the traditional 9-1-1 network by providing the service with advanced digital technology to better serve our communities and emergency response procedures.
For residents the process for calling 9-1-1 remains the same, however the new network provides operators with critical improvements, including:
South Simcoe Police expect the new technology to have a large impact on how quickly calls are responded to and ensure enhanced safety for our growing communities.
The Ontario government has provided more than $650,000 since 2022 to support the South Simcoe Police Service’s transition to NG9-1-1.
NG9-1-1 was made possible through the collaboration of the system supplier, Solacom, as well as technical integration support from Bell, the official network provider.