Ten Times When Texans Need to Call 311 Instead of 911

From Austin, TX, to Abilene, TX, and across The Lone Star State, we call 911 in an emergency. In Texas, and the U.S., 911 operators determine the course of action needed when you're having an emergency.

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A lot of times it's the very first phone number we learn, toddlers can recite it. 911 operators are very important and they have to learn how to handle all types of calls, including emergency, and non-emergency calls for police, fire, and emergency medical services.

And since 911 operators are meant for life-threatening emergencies, in most major U.S. metros, there is another number you can call for your non-emergency needs.  The number to call for non-emergencies in many Texas cities is 311, which was designed to take all those calls to 911 that aren’t true emergencies.

This number is important to learn about as 911 lines can be flooded with real emergency calls, and using the 311 line will free up 911 operators to help people in life-or-death situations.

Basically, 311 is a type of citizens’ hotline. It’s a simple way for you to report problems or ask questions about your community without tying up emergency lines or going through frustrating municipal channels. They can forward complaints to local government, local utilities, and other public services to get the problem fixed or answer your question.

So, before you call the police, consider whether or not your concern is an emergency. But of course, if you do have an emergency including serious injury, fire in your home, or anything life or death never hesitate to call 911.

Here’s a list of common reasons to call 311 from Safewise: