Dover Fire Department Says to Call Dispatch in Emergency’s

Dover firefighters want the public to be aware of the importance of always calling 9-1-1 directly when an urgent response is needed.

Captain Mike Mossor says lately the fire station has received too many emergency calls directly that should have been made to 9-1-1 for dispatchers at the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office to handle.

Mossor says they can’t leave until they’re off the phone with an emergency caller. Firefighters then might have to report the call to the sheriff’s office or police before they can leave for the emergency.

That’s not the case though if the caller dials 9-1-1 instead.

“Big thing is the delay. When the 911 center gets the basic information and the address, we get dispatched before their even off the phone with a caller.”

Mossor says this is what happened during Friday’s fatal fire on Johnson Avenue southwest, where the caller dialed the fire station’s business line instead of 9-1-1.