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The City of Atwater shared a post.

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Great information please read.MERCED COMMUNICATIONS CENTER TIP OF THE WEEK

A common misconception when calling 9-1-1 is that the dispatcher on the phone is located in the area you are calling from and is very familiar with that area. In California, the California Highway Patrol was tasked with the responsibility for all cellular 9-1-1 calls when cell phones became available. Over time, responsibility for answering these types of calls has shifted in some areas to city police or county sheriff’s departments. However, in the Central Valley, the responsibility for cellular 9-1-1 still lies largely with the CHP.

The Merced Communications Center answers the majority of cellular 9-1-1 calls for the following counties: Merced, Madera, Mariposa, Stanislaus and Tuolumne. We dispatch to CHP officers assigned to CHP – Los Banos, CHP – Madera
CHP – Mariposa, CHP – Modesto CHP – Sonora, CHP – Oakhurst, as well as CHP Merced. This is a very large geographic region to cover, and while our staff has great knowledge of the area, they aren’t necessarily going to be intimately familiar with what may seem to be a commonly known location in your community.

Please be patient as the dispatcher asks clarifying questions to determine your location. Being able to correctly ascertain the location enables help to get to you much faster during those critical times of need.

The mission of the California Highway Patrol is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security. … See MoreSee Less

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