When You Should — and Shouldn’t — Call 911

If a burglar breaks into your house, your neighbor is complaining of chest pains, or you witness a major car crash, call 911. In cases of other “emergencies”, it’s not as obvious when — and when not to — dial 911.

The general rule: Dial 911 any time there’s a threat to life or property — such as an accident, a crime, a fire or a medical emergency. A 911 operator can even tell you whether your problem merits a call to 911 and may ask you to hang up and call the non-emergency line. So when in doubt, always call. That’s why we’re here. It’s better to be on the safe side.

When to call 911

Don’t hesitate to dial 911 if:

1. A fire breaks out
2. A medical emergency happens
3. You witness a crime or possible crime
4. If you’re in or you see a car crash

When in doubt, call — but don’t waste this resource

Never call 911 for any situation that’s clearly not an emergency. That seems obvious, the 911 Emergency Operation Center in Mount Pleasant covers the entire county. We can’t tie up 911 lines for non-emergencies. The non-emergency line for the city police and fire is 903-575-4004. The county is 903-572-6641.

When NOT to call 911

Bad Weather
A barking dog
A power outage
Busted water pipes
To ask about paying a ticket
You have a cold or flu symptoms
Someone has a minor cut
To ask for directions

Our 911 center operates with only a few dispatchers, so if you call for the wrong reasons, you could delay help for someone with a real emergency.

911 is your first line of defense when you need help. Don’t tie up this valuable resource for non-emergencies.