911 Program Information for the Public

When Pennsylvanians think about what to do during an emergency, calling 9-1-1 comes to mind.

Having emergency services at our fingertips is an important resource for public safety. In fact, Pennsylvania 911 centers, known as public safety answering points (PSAPs), process nearly 14.5 million requests for emergency services annually.

About Public Safety Answering Points

A PSAP is a call center staffed with trained 911 telecommunicators responsible for answering emergency requests for police, firefighting, and ambulance services.
Pennsylvania’s 911 telecommunicators are often the first point of contact in emergency situations and provide critical services to the public and first responders in the field 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 

Pennsylvania has 61 county-based PSAPs serving 67 counties. Each county is responsible for providing 911 service in their jurisdiction. A county may provide a 911 service through participation in a regional 911 system.