Emergency 911
“Between the thin red line, the thin white line, and the thin blue line lies the thinnest gold line. The gold line represents those that are rarely seen, but mostly heard. The calm voice in the dark night. Dispatchers. The Golden glue that holds it all together.”
Stephens County 911 was established in 2006 as a consolidated 911 center. Previously, calls were taken and dispatched from the Toccoa Police Department. Stephens County 911 is a 24 hours a day, 365 days a year operation serving the citizens of Stephens County.
Stephens County 911 employs 12 full time Communications Officers and 4 part time Communications Officers. These Communications Officers answer over 100,000 emergency and non-emergency calls annually for Stephens County. They also dispatch radio calls for Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, City of Toccoa Police Department, City of Toccoa Fire Department, Stephens County Fire Department, Stephens County Marshal’s Office, Stephens County Emergency Management Agency, Stephens County Search and Rescue, and Stephens County EMS.
When To Call 911
911 is only to be used in emergency situations. An emergency is any situation that requires immediate assistance from law enforcement, the fire department or an ambulance. If you are ever in doubt of whether a situation is an emergency you should call 911. It’s better to be safe and let the 911 dispatcher determine if you need emergency assistance.
When Not To Call 911
- For information
- For directory assistance (Use 411)
- When you’re bored or lonely and just want to talk
- To report a crime that occurred yesterday
- As a prank
- To report a power outage
- To report a loud party or a barking dog
- Burst Water Pipes
- To ask about paying a ticket
- To find out about an inmate (Call the Stephens County Jail 706-886-2514)
- The above items are reportable incidences, but can be reported via the non-emergency number at 706-779-3911.
If You Have an Emergency
- Know your location!
- Speak calm and state your emergency.
- Speak loudly and clearly.
- Answer the dispatcher’s questions (there will be a lot) and follow their instructions.
- Stay on the telephone as long as it’s safe to do so, and don’t hang up until the dispatcher tells you to.
- When placing a 911 call from a cell phone provide the dispatcher your location immediately.
Dial By Mistake
If you call 911 by mistake, do not hang up. Tell the dispatcher what happened so 911 knows there really isn’t an emergency. If the dispatcher is unable to verify that no emergency exists, a deputy sheriff will be sent to the location.
Prank Call
It’s a prank call when someone calls 911 for a joke, or calls 911 and hangs up when no emergency exists. Prank calls not only waste time and money, but can also be dangerous. If 911 lines or dispatchers are busy with prank calls, someone with a real emergency may not be able to get the help they need. Prank calls are a punishable under Georgia law.
911 Open Records Request
The Georgia Open Records Act establishes the right to inspect and/or receive public records, excluding those records that are specifically exempted by court order or law. To inspect and/or receive records, please download the Open Records Request Form to submit an open records request. Please be as specific as possible.
911 Communications Officer Employment
Download Employment Application and Verification Letter Request forms to apply.
911 Business, Homeowner and Livestock Information Forms
911 can best respond to an emergency when they have information at hand. Completing the forms below can help them provide the help you need in the fastest time possible. Download the forms and submit them to the 911 center.