Sask911

The Sask911 system is a program funded through a monthly fee on telephone lines and wireless devices.

Emergency calls for police, fire, or ambulance service are taken by trained 911 staff. These trained call-takers determine the nature of an emergency and transfer the caller to an emergency dispatch operator.

In Saskatchewan, 911 calls are taken at Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) in Regina, Saskatoon, and near Prince Albert.

The cities of Saskatoon and Regina through their local police services manage the PSAPs in their respective communities and answer 911 calls within their municipal boundaries.

The 911 calls for the remainder of the province are answered near Prince Albert at a PSAP managed by CanOps.

For non-emergency inquiries about Sask911, please call 1-866-757-5911.

Call 911 in an emergency when you require a response from:

• Police
• Medical personnel
• Firefighters
• Rescue personnel
• A combination of responses to deal with situations such as an incident involving dangerous goods or substances

A 911 call-taker will ask you these questions:

• Where is the emergency? What is your street address, land location, or the location of the emergency? (A description of your house or the location of the emergency, the names of any access roads, and any other landmarks may also be helpful information you can provide.)
• What is the nature of the emergency? Do you need police, fire, or an ambulance?
• What is your name?
• What is the telephone number you are calling from? This question is asked for verification purposes, in case your call is disconnected prematurely.

Be prepared. Draw a simple diagram showing the most direct route to your home, acreage, or farm. Keep it close to your phone with a list of important phone numbers.

Staying calm in an emergency is difficult, but there is other information you may be able to provide to a 911 call-taker en route. You may be asked the following additional questions by a 911 operator, depending on the situation:

Police Emergencies

• Are you in danger, or is someone's life in danger?
• If a crime has been committed, can you provide a description of the offender?
• Are there any weapons involved?

Medical Emergencies

• Is the person conscious? Breathing? What else can you tell about the person's condition?
• Is the person able to tell you anything about the problem he/she is experiencing?
• Are you able to provide emergency first aid? Is it safe to do so?

Fire Emergencies

• Are you in danger?
• Is there anyone trapped or injured?
• Are smoke and flames visible?
• What type of fire are you reporting?

Rescue Situations

• How many people are trapped or injured, or in need of rescue?
• If the situation involves vehicles, what types of vehicles are involved, and how many?
• Are there any other hazards present?
• Is there a risk of fire?

Dangerous Goods Situations

• Is fuel or other dangerous cargo leaking?
• Is there a sign with an identification number or symbol on the side, front, or back of the vehicle or vehicles? If so, can you identify what the symbol is?

Prank Calls to 911

• Prank calls may take the 911 call-taker away from a real emergency call, and are a serious abuse of the system.
• Prank calls are traceable and will be investigated.
• All incoming calls are recorded. The use of profanity or abuse of the telephone system may result in restrictions on phone service or charges under the Criminal Code.
• If emergency vehicles are dispatched for no reason, the prank caller may be liable for the costs involved. 

There is a monthly line fee applied to residential, business, and trunk lines, and is collected through your telephone bill. This fee includes a charge for recovering the costs to install the telephone infrastructure and a charge to fund the operations of the PSAPs.

The line fees are the lowest amount that can be billed to the customer, while providing the necessary hardware and call-taking functions required to manage emergency phone calls.

The fees are associated with the start-up and ongoing costs of the PSAPs. They cover SaskTel's equipment, installation, programming and service costs, and operational costs associated with hiring and training of operators, salaries, and administration.