The 10 Times When Texans Should Call 311 & Not 911

From Houston, TX to El Paso, TX, across every tiny town in The Lone Star State, 911 operators determine the course of action needed when there's a citizen is having an emergency.

But what if it's not an emergency?

911 is the number we drill into our kids' heads and these operators field all types of calls; emergency and non-emergency calls for police, fire, and emergency medical services.

But did you know that in most major U.S. metros, there is another number you can call for non-emergency needs? The reason for this is to free up 911 operators for life-threatening emergencies. The number to call for non-emergencies in many Texas cities is 311 was designed to take all those calls to 911 that aren’t true emergencies.

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.

It's important to understand that 911 lines can be flooded with real emergency calls, and learning about and knowing when to use the 311 line will free up 911 operators to help people in life-or-death situations.