Everyone knows that 9-1-1 is a universal number that should be called in the event of an emergency...or do they? 9-1-1 Centers all over the United States have encountered hurdles when educating the public when it comes to the 9-1-1 and its uses.

“With all the advances in technology, 9-1-1 has become much more complex. What started out as a simple concept has grown into an amazing infrastructure that needs crucial attention,” commented Guymon Police Dispatch Supervisor Rita Hill who worked with 911 during its inception in Guymon and Texas County and is working with managing the upgrades to the current 9-1-1 system. “Our goal will be to educate as many people on 9-1-1, its uses, its challenges, and the future capabilities.

In 2009, the Guymon / Texas County 911 Call Center received approximately 2579 9-1-1 landline calls for emergencies.

Children and adults should have a good understanding of 9-1-1 and how it works in their area. Comm. Supervisor Rita Hill said that although 9-1-1 is available throughout the state, there are many different levels of sophistication within the equipment and resources available at each 9-1-1 answering point.

Some general guidelines for 9-1-1 no matter where you are:

• 9-1-1 is for police, fire and medical emergencies.
• Know your location if at all possible. Providing an accurate location is critically important especially when making a wireless 9-1-1 call.
• If you call 9-1-1, don’t hang up.
• Don’t call 9-1-1 for jokes or prank calls.
• When you call 9-1-1, pay attention to the questions that you are being asked.
• Stay on the line with the 9-1-1 call taker and answer all questions. The more information they have, the better they are able to help you.
• Stay calm and speak clearly.
• For further questions or for additional information, contact you can contact Supervisor Rita Hill at the Guymon Police Department at 580-338-6525 or by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .