9-1-1 Guidelines

Acceptable Use

Do call 9-1-1 for:

• Anything that seems like an emergency
• Burglary or theft in progress
• Car accidents
• Domestic violence
• Heart attack or stroke
• House fire
• Suspicious activities

Unacceptable Use

Do not call 9-1-1:

• For general information pertaining to police reports, jails.
• Keys locked in vehicles, unless someone is locked inside.
• To ask for directions or road names.
• To obtain weather reports.
• To report utility problems (such as power outages, phone and water repairs).
• To request an ambulance for non-emergency routine transports.

Never Prank Call 9-1-1!

It's a prank call when someone calls 9-1-1 for a joke, or calls 9-1-1 and hangs up. If 9-1-1 lines or call takers are busy with prank calls, someone with a real emergency may not be able to get the help they need. In most places, it's against the law to make prank 9-1-1 calls.