Who to call in the U.S.: 911, 988, 211 and other helplines

Who to call: the short list

Before you need it: save the numbers and your address

• Save these numbers in your phone today, together with your full new address, including your apartment number. When something goes wrong, it’s hard to remember an address you’ve had for only a few days.
• Using an internet phone (VoIP)? A 911 center can’t locate you unless you have registered the device to a physical address with your provider. Update it every time you move (911.gov).
• Turn on emergency alerts. Wireless Emergency Alerts look like text messages, with a special sound and vibration. You don’t pay for them and you don’t need to sign up. But older phones may not receive them, and some phones need you to turn them on. Some phone companies call them “Government Alerts” or “Emergency Alert Messages” (Ready.gov).

911: when someone is in danger right now

An emergency is any situation that needs immediate help from the police, the fire department or an ambulance (911.gov). USCIS gives three simple examples: a fire, a crime in progress, or a person who needs medical help (USCIS).

When you call, the call-taker will ask you questions. Be ready to tell them (911.gov):

1. where the emergency is: the street address, and the room or apartment number if you are in a large building;
2. the phone number you are calling from;
3. what is happening;
4. details, such as what a person who committed a crime looks like, what the fire looks like, or the injuries or symptoms of a sick person.

These questions help send the right help to you quickly. Follow the call-taker’s instructions: many 911 centers can tell you exactly what to do until help arrives, for example how to help someone who is choking. Don’t hang up until the call-taker tells you to (911.gov).

Also good to know (911.gov FAQ):

• Called 911 by mistake? Don’t hang up. Stay on the line and explain what happened. If you hang up, they may think there is an emergency and send help to your location.
• Any mobile phone can call 911, even one without a service plan. But then the 911 center doesn’t get your location and can’t call you back if the call drops.
• 911 calls usually can’t be transferred to another city or state. To get help for someone far away, call the 10-digit number of the police where that person is. You’ll find it on the local police website.

Texting 911: call if you can, text if you can’t

You can text 911 only in some places. A voice call gives the 911 center more information, so the FCC says to always call when you can (FCC).

• If you text 911 where it’s not available, you should get an automatic “bounce-back” message telling you to contact emergency services another way (FCC).
• Apps that only let you message other app users, or message through social media, don’t have to support texts to 911 (FCC).
• The FCC’s page has a list of areas that accept texts to 911, updated monthly.
• If you are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and texting isn’t available, use a TTY or a relay service if you can (FCC).

988: when you’re in crisis or need someone to talk to

Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. It’s there for mental health struggles, emotional distress, worries about alcohol or drug use, or when you just need someone to talk to. You can also reach out to get support for a friend or family member. The 988 Lifeline is available 24/7, and conversations are free and confidential (988 Lifeline).

If English isn’t your first language (988 Lifeline FAQ):

• Spanish: when you call, press 2. When you text in Spanish, you’ll be asked to type “Ayuda” (988 Lifeline FAQ). Chat is also available in Spanish (988 Lifeline).
• Other languages: call 988 and ask for an interpreter. Ask in English if you can, or just say the name of your language. Interpretation in more than 240 other languages is available 24/7, by phone call only. Connecting to an interpreter usually takes about 20 seconds (988 Lifeline FAQ).
• TTY users: use your relay service, or dial 711 and then 988 (988 Lifeline FAQ).

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911.

Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222

If you think someone has been poisoned, call 1-800-222-1222 right away. The call connects you to the poison center for your area, where an expert will tell you exactly what to do (HRSA). The call is free and confidential, and Poison Help is available 24/7 in over 100 languages (HRSA). You can also call with a question about a poison, even if it’s not an emergency (HRSA FAQ).

When you call, try to have the product’s container with you, because the label has important information. Be ready to tell the expert, if you can, the person’s age and weight, what product was involved, how it touched the person (swallowed, breathed in, on the skin or in the eyes), how long ago it happened, and your exact location (HRSA FAQ).

If the person needs an ambulance right now, call 911.

211: local help with food, housing and bills

Dial 211 to talk to local experts who help you find services near you: food programs, help with housing and utility costs, health care costs, mental health and substance use support, and help after a disaster (211). The FCC adds shelter, clothing, education and transportation to the list (FCC).

• There are more than 200 local 211 agencies across the United States. Experts are available 24/7, and calls are confidential and can be anonymous (211).
• You can also search for your local 211 by location on 211.org. The site is available in English and Spanish.

311 and other non-emergency numbers

311 connects you with your local government. You can use it to ask for city services or report problems that aren’t emergencies, like bulk trash pickup, abandoned cars, broken streetlights, tree problems or power outages (FCC).

311 doesn’t work everywhere. Not all local governments provide it, so you may hear a message that 311 isn’t available in your area (City of Cincinnati). Check your city or county website.

Police non-emergency number: don’t call 911 to ask for it. Instead, search online for “emergency communications center non-emergency number” together with your city or town, county and state (911.gov).

711 connects you to your state’s TTY or Speech-to-Speech relay services if you have a hearing or speech disability (FCC).

If someone is hurting or exploiting you

National Domestic Violence Hotline (The Hotline):

• Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), text START to 88788, or chat with a live advocate at thehotline.org. It’s free, confidential and available 24/7.
• Your language: you can talk with an advocate in more than 290 languages with the help of a trained interpreter. Just tell the advocate which language you prefer (The Hotline).
• Deaf or hard of hearing: The Deaf Hotline videophone is 1-855-812-1001.
• Stay safe online: The Hotline warns that internet use can be monitored and is impossible to erase completely. If you’re worried someone is watching your phone or computer, call instead. On its website, you can press Escape twice to leave the site quickly.
• If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

National Human Trafficking Hotline (Trafficking Hotline):

• Call 1-888-373-7888 (TTY: 711), text 233733, or chat online. The toll-free phone and text lines and the chat are available 24/7, 365 days a year.
• Your language: help is available in English or Spanish, or in more than 200 other languages through an interpreter.
• The hotline is not part of the government and is not law enforcement. It connects victims and survivors with services. Your contact is confidential, and you can ask for help or report a tip anonymously. In certain cases, it helps report information to the authorities; its confidentiality policy explains how.
• If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

Common mistakes and scams to avoid

• Trusting a call from “the police” or “immigration”. Scammers pretend to be your local sheriff’s office, a court official or immigration authorities, and some threaten arrest or deportation. The FTC is clear: “Government agencies will never call, email, text, or message you on social media to ask for money or personal information.” Caller ID can be faked, so hang up and call the agency yourself at a number you know is correct (FTC). Read more in our guide to scams that target newcomers.
• Trusting a “helpline” that calls you. Be careful if someone calls out of the blue, says they’re a helpline, and asks for money or personal details. The National Human Trafficking Hotline, for example, says it never makes unsolicited calls or sends letters asking for personal information or money (Trafficking Hotline).
• Hanging up after dialing 911 by mistake. Stay on the line and explain (911.gov).
• Calling 911 when it isn’t an emergency. Non-emergency calls overload the 911 system (911.gov). Use 311 or the non-emergency number instead.
• Counting on a text to reach 911. Texting works only in some places. Call if you can (FCC).

Where to get free, trustworthy help

• Emergency: 911 (911.gov).
• Emotional crisis: call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org.
• Poisoning: Poison Help, 1-800-222-1222 (HRSA).
• Local help with food, housing and bills: dial 211, or find your local 211 at 211.org.
• Domestic violence: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), text START to 88788, or chat at thehotline.org.
• Human trafficking: 1-888-373-7888, text 233733, or chat at humantraffickinghotline.org.
• Mental health and substance use referrals: SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357). It is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service in English and Spanish.
• Government impersonator scams: report them at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (FTC).

Ask the community

A place to share local tips with other newcomers, like your city’s non-emergency numbers, is coming soon to 4Livo.