911 Communication Center

The Markham 911 Communication Center ensures that all residents receive reliable and professional emergency services by utilizing modern technology, policies and procedures.

911 Emergency Calls: When dialing 911 from a landline telephone in Markham, the call is routed to the 911 Communication Center to dispatch emergency services to the location identified from the telephone call.

When Dialing 911

When dialing 911 from a cellular telephone, the call is routed to the State Police Call Center or to the Markham 911 Communication Center, depending on the caller's location at the time of the call. In some cases, the answering point that receives the initial 911 call may need to transfer the call to a secondary answering point.

The operator will inform the caller to remain on the line for additional assistance. Please do not hang up during the call transfer.

Immediate responses to emergencies depend upon the important information provided by the caller. When dialing 911, the operator will ask a series of questions. It is important that the caller be prepared to answer the following questions:

• What type of emergency?
• What type of help is needed?
• Where is the location of the emergency?

For medical emergencies, the operator will request additional information related to the issue.

Helpful Tips 

Post your address, phone number and the closest street intersection to your home in a visible location in your home so it is available for anyone needing to make a 911 call. Make sure your home is clearly marked with your house address number. It should be visible from the street or posted where your driveway intersects with the main street. It is also important to speak with your children about using 911 and discuss the difference between an emergency and a non-emergency incident.

Emergency Siren 

The emergency disaster and attack sirens are activated for testing at 10 am on the first Tuesday of each month.