When to Dial 911 and When to Use the Non-Emergency Number

At some point in your day to day life, you will most likely find the need to call for Police, Fire or EMS assistance. Any situation where you feel the need to call for assistance is important, but are you utilizing the correct number?

 911 is the universal number for reaching emergency assistance for the area that you are in. Because it is quick and easy to remember; often times it is used incorrectly. 911 should only be used when an immediate emergency response is needed. Examples of this include but are not limited to:

-Any medical emergency (injury accident, heart attack, seizure, stroke, etc.)
-To report a fire (residential, commercial, wild/brush fire)
-To report gas leaks
-To report any in progress crimes (DWI drivers, prowlers, burglaries, thefts, assaults, bomb threats, etc.)
-To report serious crimes that are in progress or have just occurred (sexual assaults, robbery, shootings, etc.)

If at any time you are not sure if your situation is an emergency or non-emergency, dial 911.
If the above examples do not apply to your current situation, please use the non-emergency number (409)986-5559. If you live in the City of Hitchcock; this is the number you would call to reach the on-duty dispatcher. Please save this number in your cell phone so it is easily accessible. Below are examples of non-emergency calls:

 -Reporting a crime that is not in progress (criminal mischief, theft, fraud, etc.) Most of the time these crimes occurred several hours to days prior to being discovered.
-Reporting nuisance issues (traffic issues, parking violations, barking dog, loud music, City Ordinance Violations, etc.)
-Reporting suspicious circumstances (suspicious or out of place vehicles, people, etc.)

Remember, do not let a non-emergency call compete with real life or death emergencies.

Emergency number: 911
Non-Emergency number: (409)986-5559