911 is only to be used in emergencies. An emergency is any situation that requires immediate assistance from the police, fire, or rescue. 911 is for emergencies, potential emergencies, or when an emergency is imminent. Ask yourself:
- Is there a danger to life or property?
- Is there a serious medical emergency (chest pains, not breathing, bleeding, etc?)
- Is there any type of fire (building, vehicle, brush, etc?)
- Is there any crime in-progress (robbery, burglary, prowler, fights, etc?)
- Are there any other life-threatening situations (traffic accident with injuries, stuck in high water, etc?)
- Is the caller or someone else the victim of a crime?
If you are ever in doubt of whether a situation is an emergency, you should call 911. It is better to be safe and let the 911 call taker determine if you need emergency assistance.