Understanding 911 And 311: When To Call Each Number in Texas

From Dallas, TX, to Del Rio, TX, and throughout every other small town or booming metro in the Lone Star State, 9-1-1 operators determine the course of action needed when there's a citizen is having an emergency.

9-1-1 is the number drilled into children's heads, which is a good thing. But, because of that, these operators field all types of calls: emergency and non-emergency calls for police, fire, and emergency medical services.

When Texans Should Call '3-1-1' Instead of '9-1-1'

Did you know that in most major U.S. metros, there is another number that is set up for non-emergency needs?

The reason for this is to free up 9-1-1 operators for life-threatening emergencies. The number to call for non-emergencies in many Texas cities is 3-1-1. This is the number that exists solely to take calls from citizens that aren’t emergencies.

Basically, 3-1-1 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.

Remember that 9-1-1 needs to be reserved for real emergencies. Teaching kids and adults about when it's more appropriate to use the 3-1-1 line will free up 9-1-1 operators to help people in life-or-death situations.

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 9-1-1.