Local law enforcement agency urges use of proper channels for assistance

A local law enforcement agency is urging the public to use the proper channels when needing assistance.

The Carlisle County Sheriff's Office asked anyone that personally knows a first responder to avoid calling their cell phone when you need emergency assistance.

The sheriff's office said there are numerous reasons why calling a personal phone would not speed up the process of receiving help.

If a first responder is called personally, that first responder must then call 911 themselves to get the proper response going. In addition, the sheriff's office highlighted that they're not trained dispatchers, so they may not ask the correct questions to get you all of the necessary help you need.

Officials said even in cases where you may not feel your incident is an emergency, or you're concerned about tying up emergency lines, the dispatcher understands this and will determine the priority of each call.

For those still hesitant to call 911 for an issue, each 911 center has a non-emergency number available.