Dialing 911 for Emergencies



The Z (ZVRS) accepts emergency calls made to 911 through its video relay service, ZVRS. To make a 911 call, just dial “911” from your Z videophone (Z-340, Z-150, Z-20 or Z-Ojo) or a desktop/laptop computer or mobile device with Z softphone application (Z4 or Z5).

It is very important that you keep the address (location) in the profile of your videophone or softphone up to date.

When you dial “911”, the following is what you can expect:

- your call will be put on the highest priority and goes to the first available video interpreter (VI)

- the interpreter will see your address (location) that you have on your profile and call 911 (the nearest emergency contact center.)

- the call will go to the nearest emergency contact center near the address that was provided. (The legal name of the emergency contact center is PSAP-Public Safety Answering Point.)

- the contact person at the emergency contact center then talks to you through the VI. They will verify the address, and ask what kind of emergency you have. While this may take a bit of time, it is important so they can send the right kind of assistance to your location.

- it is important for you to try to remain calm and be clear in your communication with the VI (We all know it is hard to be calm in emergency situations.)

- after the emergency contact center gathers all the information, they will then disconnect the call and send assistance your way.

- if your emergency situation changes, you should feel free to call 911 again.

- if for some reason, the call between you and the Vi or between the VI and the emergency call center gets disconnected, the VI will make an effort to connect again

You may see the term “first responder”. It means police, fire or EMS.

If you are physically unable to make a video call, it is recommended that you use a regular landline phone and dial 911", then leave the phone off the hook. The nearest emergency contact center will recognize this and send assistance your way.

It is very important to have your address (location) information in your profile current. This will save time during a 911 call. Remember, for some emergencies, minutes can make a difference. A wrong address can cause the assistance to be sent to the wrong location.

With your ZVRS local number, you will be able to make a 911 call from your Z videophone/software and ZVRS will automatically route that call to the right emergency 911 service center. In order to do this, ZVRS will need you to provide us with your “Registered Location” — the exact physical address where you are likely to need 911 help. Typically, this will be the home or office where you keep your videophone. You will be able to provide us with your Registered Location through your online account profile at www.zvrs.com and you will be responsible for changing that registered location any time you move to a new address. Each time you change your Registered Location you will receive a confirmation email from The Z. It is critical that you keep your Registered Location information updated in order to get assistance in an emergency, so please remember to change this data anytime you move to a new address.

In many cases, especially with a mobile phone, you will be at a location that is different from the address in your profile. You should be prepared to know the location to be able to give to the VI so the first responders can come to assist you.

To set up your location for the first time, it will need to be verified in person with a ZVRS installer or by phone with a ZVRS representative by calling ZVRS Customer Service at 866-932-7891.

To change your location:

  • For hardphones (Z-20, Z-340, Z-Ojo and Z-150) and softphones (Z4 or Z5), you can do it either of 2 ways:
    • call ZVRS Customer Service at 866-932-7891 and advise them of your new location or changed location
    • you can login to your profile at www.zvrs.com. When your profile comes up, click “My Locations” to change your location if needed. Then click “My Videophones” and select the phone number of the device you want to assign your address to.
  • For softphones (Z5):
    • In addition to the above, you can set up or change locations by using the “Settings.”


NOTE: The Z is not liable for any error during the emergency call process, or for any delay in the call process or availability of video interpreters. The Z is also not liable for any error in the transmission or interpretation of any information pertaining to the emergency, including but not limited to: location, identifying information such as names, nature of emergencies, or any other details shared during the call. Additionally, The Z is not liable for any delays or problems with emergency personnel’s arrival or services


WARNING: Please be aware that, currently, some numbering limitations of VRS-based 911 video calls may prevent automatic referral of your location information to 911 emergency authorities. The resulting need to gather this information and convey it to emergency responders manually increases the amount of time for these calls, as well as the risk of error. For this reason, if you do not have a registered 10-digit telephone number, or reside in an area where a geographically appropriate telephone number could not be readily provided to you, The Z recommends for you to dial 911 from a TTY or use a traditional TTY relay services to make 911 calls.