pnbsppdivAn open letter to the Residents and Merchants of the DeWitt Fire DistrictdivdivnbspdivdivOver the last several years the DeWitt Fire District spanhas strived to evolve and meet the challenges of providing a wide spectrum of services to a diverse community.nbspOur operational procedures reflect that evolution and as such organizational structures are adjusted.nbspUpon moving into our new fire station in June 2008 we discontinued use of our emergency seven digit telephone number.nbspBecause Onondaga County provides a central answering point at the 911 Center and due to the increase in private fire alarm systems it was not necessary to maintain this redundancy.nbspAs we experience an increase in call volume and requests for service of all types we also are not able to have the benefit of personnel in-house dedicated to receive those calls via telephone.spandivdivnbspdivdivIt has become customary for many to telephone the fire station for all types of situations including at times serious emergencies.nbspMany people believe that their situation isnrsquot serious enough to call 911 and often waste valuable time searching for alternate phone numbers.nbspPlainly stated your phone call directly to the fire station may not be able to be answered immediately resulting in a delay.nbspIt is highly recommended that you call 911 for any type of situation that you believe may require our response regardless of how serious you believe it may be.nbspThe personnel at the 911 center are best trained to prioritize calls for service and if necessary refer calls to other agencies.nbspThe 911 center also provides crucial standardized pre-arrival instructions for emergencies which save lives and time.nbspThese services are not provided by personnel at the fire station.divdivnbspdivdivWe are proud of the work we do in our community and remain committed to providing you with the best possible service.nbspdiv
