What's Happening in Stockton, CA…

San Joaquin County will now be served by the Stockton Fire Department for its fire and emergency medical services (EMS).

All calls to 911 will now be dispatched to the Stockton Fire Department and residents of the county will not need a new telephone number to call.

When a 911 call is placed, it is initially received by a main public safety answering point. If the situation requires suppression of fire or emergency medical assistance, the call is then routed to a secondary dispatch center, where personnel collect additional information and coordinate the appropriate response.

Beginning this month, the Stockton Regional Fire and Emergency Medical Dispatch Center will serve as the sole secondary point of answering for San Joaquin County for all EMS and fire emergencies. As a result, the center will be responsible for dispatching all fire departments and ambulance services operating throughout the county.

Public safety agencies will now have one consistent and clear place for the sending of calls, with the processing and dispatch of fire and EMS calls being brought together in one place. Partner agencies have been working on updating their procedures for transferring calls.

While fire and EMS calls will now be coordinated through a new dispatch center, the process for requesting emergency assistance remains unchanged. Changes like this will often be highlighted through flyer printing to inform and reassure residents.