Grande Prairie 911 (GP911) is a vital service dedicated to ensuring safety and swift emergency response across the region. Operating as a 911 Call Answer and Emergency Fire Dispatch service, GP911 supports over 60 municipalities, covering 47% of Alberta and parts of Northeastern British Columbia. Adhering to Alberta’s 911 Standards and local legislation, GP911 connects residents with critical emergency assistance, facilitating rapid dispatch of first responders during urgent situations. With a focus on efficiency, reliability, and community safety, GP911 serves as a trusted lifeline for those in need, ensuring help is just a call away.
When to Call 9-1-1: Your Lifeline in an Emergency
Dialing 911 on your telephone is the fastest way you can get help for yourself or someone else in an emergency. Only call 9-1-1 for emergencies.
Emergencies:
- An event that involves an immediate threat to a person or property; screams, attacks, gunshots, fires, car accident with injuries or any other medical emergency
- A substantive, in-progress crime. This includes fights, break and enters (if there is a suspect on scene) or a report of an impaired driver
- A serious crime that has just occurred (e.g., sexual assault or robbery)
- A suspicious circumstance that may indicate an imminent criminal act (e.g., prowler, vandal)
Non Emergencies:
(Contact your local RCMP detachment)
- Reporting a crime with no suspect (e.g., theft of a license plate)
- Reporting a crime with suspect, but suspect is not on the scene (e.g., stolen vehicle, fraud)
- Reporting a serious crime with suspect, but with a lengthy delay (e.g., assault that occurred last night at a bar)
- Non-emergency in-progress (e.g., noisy party, drug use)
- On-going crime issues or crimes that are not in-progress (e.g., graffiti or ongoing drug dealing with no suspect on scene)
- A suspicious circumstance that may indicate an ongoing criminal activity (e.g., marijuana grow operation)
Grande Prairie 911 Dispatch Centre
Grande Prairie 911 (GP911) is the primary service answer point for most of north-western Alberta (see the map to the right). This is an area covering 286,875 square kilometres, or 43% of the total land mass of the province.
When you call 9-1-1 from anywhere inside this area, your call is answered in Grande Prairie!
The dispatchers transfer calls to the appropriate agencies and they dispatch over 60 Fire Departments.
What Happens When Someone Calls 9-1-1
- When a 9-1-1 call is placed within our service area, a dispatcher at GP911 answers, “9-1-1 what is the address of your emergency? What is the phone number you are calling from? Okay, Tell me exactly what happened."
- If a fire response is required, the dispatcher gathers important information from the caller and dispatches the required Fire Department.
- If any other emergency response is required (for example an emergency requiring police or ambulance services), the dispatcher forwards them to the appropriate dispatching agency.
What Information Does an Emergency Services Dispatcher See When You Call?
- From a landline:
- The address and telephone number you are calling from
- Your location on a map
- If and when you have called 9-1-1 in the past
- From a cell phone:
- The telephone number you are calling from
- GPS coordinates approximating your location (Varying degrees of Accuracy)
Why Do Dispatchers Ask the Location of Your Emergency?
Even though dispatchers can see the location information of where you’re calling from, sometimes the caller is not at the location of the emergency! That’s why dispatchers will always ask you to confirm the location. Emergency Crews have a much quicker response time if they have the proper information.
In addition, dispatchers will ask for a description of the situation. This is to ensure that adequate resources are responding to the emergency. The Dispatcher will also provide important instructions to ensure the safety of callers.
Explore GP911 Service Areas
GP911 dispatches for the following fire departments. Click here to view a map of our approximate response boundaries and see how we serve the region.