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.