How does the 911 Center know my location when I call from a cell phone?
Everett’s Emergency Communication Center is a Phase 2 enabled city. This means that when you dial 911 from a cell phone, the Telecommunicator can see your approximate location by receiving the location of the cell tower your call is coming from. The Telecommunicator also attempts to get your exact coordinates through GPS. This process could take 20 seconds or more and the exact coordinates they receive could be about the size of a football stadium. GPS coordinates do not provide elevation, which can be critical when calling from a multi-story building.
When you call 911 from your cell phone, always assume the Telecommunicator does not know where you are at and be prepared to give all address and location information for the emergency, including landmarks.