The 9-1-1 Communications Center is the public safety answering point for Lake County. It is responsible for answering both 9-1-1 and nonemergency calls for law enforcement, fire, and EMS services, as well as dispatching for law enforcement, fire department, and EMS agencies.

We encourage all parents to check out this fantastic resource to help your children learn:

When & how to call 911. Teaching children how to call 911 using various phones. VIDEO

Useful Information

  • When should I call 9-1-1?

    Lake County, along with most other counties in South Dakota, enjoys the services of a single three digit telephone number to dial in the event of a fire, police, or medical emergency.

    9-1-1 is for use in reporting emergency situations. Learning what an emergency is goes hand in hand with learning what isn't. A fire, an intruder in the home, an unconscious family member - these are all things that would require a call to 9-1-1.

    A skinned knee, a stolen bicycle, or a lost pet shouldn't result in a call to 9-1-1. Still, teach your child that if ever in doubt and there's no adult around to ask to always make the call. It's much better to be safe than sorry.

  • How to make a call to 9-1-1

    When a 9-1-1 call is answered, the dispatcher will announce "Lake County 911". Stay Calm! The dispatcher will ask the following questions to find out what type of problem you have and what emergency agency is needed to assist you:

    Where is the emergency?
    What is the emergency?
    What is your name?
    What is your telephone number?

    Stay on the line until the Dispatcher says it is okay to disconnect. Follow any instructions that you may be given by the dispatcher. If you are reporting a fire or a medical emergency, the dispatcher will then dispatch fire departments or emergency units or dispatch an ambulance. If you are reporting a police emergency, the dispatcher will immediately dispatch the appropriate officer.

  • Will I get an immediate response if I call 9-1-1?

    If you have reported an emergency situation, law enforcement, fire, or EMS will respond to your emergency as quickly as possible. If these agencies are busy, a response will be provided in order of urgency.

  • What should I do if I accidentally call 9-1-1?

    This can and does happen frequently. If you make an accidental call to 9-1-1, stay on the line and speak with the dispatcher. This will save the dispatcher and law enforcement valuable time. If you make an accidental call to 9-1-1 and hang up, it will still go through, and the dispatcher will often make efforts to try and reach you back or even send out a law enforcement officer to verify that everything is okay. This may directly impact someone having a real emergency elsewhere in the community.

  • Talking About 9-1-1 With Your Child

    We encourage all parents to check out this fantastic resource to help your children learn:

    When & how to call 911. Teaching children how to call 911 using various phones. VIDEO

    Everyone needs to know about calling 9-1-1 in an emergency. But children in particular need specifics about what an emergency is. Asking your child, "What would you do if we had a fire in our house?" or "What would you do if you saw someone trying to break in?" gives you a chance to discuss what constitutes an emergency and what should be done if one occurs. Role playing is an especially good way to address various emergency scenarios and give your child the confidence he or she will need to handle them.

    For younger children, it might also help to talk about who the emergency workers are in your community - police officers, firefighters, paramedics, doctors, nurses, and so on - and what kinds of things they do to help people who are in trouble. This will paint a clear picture for your little one of not only what types of emergencies can occur, but also who can help.

    Make sure that your child understands that calling 9-1-1 as a joke is a crime. In some cities, officials estimate that as much as 75% of the calls made to 9-1-1 are nonemergency calls. These are not all pranks. Some people accidentally push the emergency button on their cell phones. Others don't realize that 9-1-1 is for true emergencies only. That means it is not for such things as a flat tire or even about a theft that occurred the week before.

    Stress to your child that whenever an unnecessary call is made to 9-1-1, it can delay a response to someone who actually needs it. All of Lake County has what is called enhanced 9-1-1, which enables a call to be traced to the location from which it was made. So if someone dials 9-1-1 as a prank, emergency personnel could be dispatched directly to that location. Not only could this mean life or death for someone having a real emergency on the other side of town, it also means that it's very likely the prank caller will be caught and punished.

Staff

April Denholm

911 Communications Director Send an Email

Deb Stamm-Gartner

911 Communications Dispatcher

Shannon Hoffman

911 Communications Dispatcher

Brittany Hoffman

911 Communications Dispatcher

Megan Houser

911 Communications Dispatcher / Trainer

Jennifer Miller

911 Communications Dispatcher

Abigail Williams

911 Communications Dispatcher

Contact Information

ALL EMERGENCIES 9-1-1

Non-emergency Dispatch:
605-256-7620

Non-emergency Police:
605-256-7531

Non-emergency Sheriff:
605-256-7615

911 Director:
605-256-7621

Announcements

CUP / Variance Deadline - 4/1/2024
Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Complete applications due for CUPs and Variances to be considered at the 4/16/24 meeting

Plat Deadline - 3/25/2024
Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Complete applications due for Plats to be considered at 4/2/24 meeting

March - License Plate Renewal F/G/J
Friday, March 1, 2024

Vehicle License plate renewal for vehicle owners with the FIRST letter in their LAST NAME that begins with F or G or J.

Tax Assessment Freeze Program Deadline
Friday, March 1, 2024

Elderly and disabled South Dakotans have until April 1, 2023 to apply for property tax relief under South Dakota's Assessment Freeze for the Elderly and Disabled Program. Applications are available at the local treasurer offices and on the Department of Revenue's website here.

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