Calling the Fire Department and How to Use 911

Emergencies don’t happen very often. But when they do, you want to get help fast. No one wants to spend time looking up the phone number. That’s why 911 was created — to make it easy. The Santa Barbara County Fire Department reminds people that dialing 911 on your telephone is the fastest way to get help for yourself or someone else.

It’s as simple as dialing 911. With those three numbers, you can reach the fire department, the police, or an ambulance. When you call 911, an emergency dispatcher immediately connects you to the person you need. The dispatcher will send the closest available unit. Do not call the fire department directly. This can cause a delay in response. When you dial 911, be prepared to provide your name, your phone number, your address or location of the emergency, and the nature of the emergency.

For informational calls to the fire department, please call your neighborhood fire station. The station phone numbers are available at www.sbcfire.com.

Or, for general information about the fire department, please call 805-681-5500.