The Division staffs two fully operational Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP) in New Hampshire located in Concord and Laconia, combined receives approximately 1,500 911 calls each day. Police and fire requests are immediately transferred to the appropriate dispatch center upon determining the location of the emergency. An internationally recognized Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) Protocol is utilized for callers reporting medical emergencies. Callers answer a few brief questions so that the proper response and pre-arrival treatment may be determined. While the caller is being asked pertinent medical questions, the information is being sent via computer to the local dispatcher center. Once the appropriate medical determinant is made, the local dispatch agency is verbally notified.

New Hampshire became the 30th Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) by the International Academy of Emergency Dispatch in 1999. The certification requires a rigorous 20-point certification requirement for accreditation to ensure New Hampshire meets the certification, quality assurance, and ethics requirements that are in place.

Telecommunications Specialists when hired go through an initial 16 week paid training program. Phase I of the training is classroom based training with our Training Unit; this is where the new telecommunicators becomes certified as an Emergency Medical Dispatcher and as a certified Association of Public Safety Communication Officials (APCO) Public Safety Telecommunicator I. This is where they are also taught policies and procedures as well as how to use the call taking equipment. Phase II of the training process is being in the PSAP with a Certified Training Officer (CTO) processing 911 calls with the CTO. The Division of Emergency Services and Communications has a top rate Training Unit and we invest a lot of time and resources to ensure that the best possible services are provided when someone needs to call 911.

Looking for information on how to obtain a 911 Record Request – please see the Records Request information page.

2022 New Hampshire 911 Telecommunicator of the Year

In a ceremony on April 15, 2023, Kate McCarty was named New Hampshire 911 2022 Telecommunicator of the Year!  During the ceremony which was attended by DOS Assistant Commissioner Steven Lavoie, E911 Commission members, DESC Senior Leadership, colleagues and McCarty's family, Chief Debbie Bray stated "Kate is a huge advocate for 911 in New Hampshire. She is very passionate about making sure people know exactly what happens when they call 911 here in New Hampshire, and how unique our system is compared to anywhere else in the country."