Who Do You Call? The Emergency Numbers Every Family Should Have Written Down

A siren goes off somewhere nearby. Then again. It isn't a fire truck passing. It isn't stopping. And you have no idea what it means or where to look.

So you do what most people do. You stand in the driveway. You check the news, which says nothing. You wonder whether calling 911 just to ask would be ridiculous, decide that it probably would be, and go back inside still not knowing.

That moment exposes a gap in a lot of family emergency plans. Not the supplies.

Who do you call, and where do you look, when something is clearly happening and nobody has told you what?

Here are the numbers, alerts, and information sources worth setting up before you need them.

The emergency numbers that work almost anywhere

911: when to call

Call 911 for a fire, crime in progress, medical emergency, immediate threat to life or safety, or another situation requiring police, fire, or emergency medical response.

If you're unsure whether immediate emergency help is needed, call 911 and let the dispatcher determine the appropriate response.

What 911 generally isn't for: asking what a siren means, reporting an ordinary power outage, or checking whether roads are closed. Those situations have better information sources, which we'll get to below.

988 for a mental health or suicide crisis

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day by call, text, or chat for people experiencing emotional distress, a mental health crisis, or a substance-use crisis. You can also contact 988 if you're worried about someone else.

Veterans can call 988 and press 1. Spanish-language services and additional language support are also available.

It belongs on the same household list as the other emergency numbers for a simple reason: nobody should have to look it up for the first time at the moment they need it.

211 for local help and disaster resources

This is one of the most useful numbers many families have never called.

211 connects people with local community resources, which can include food, housing, utility assistance, health care, and disaster-related services. After a disaster, 211 may be able to help you locate shelters, food assistance, and other community recovery resources.

It isn't a substitute for 911 when someone is in immediate danger. Think of it instead as a doorway to local help when the situation is important but isn't a 911 emergency.

Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222

One number connects you with a poison center from anywhere in the United States: 1-800-222-1222.

Poison Help can provide guidance about possible poisonings involving medications, household products, plants, and other substances. Save it in every adult's phone now.

If someone has collapsed, is having trouble breathing, is having a seizure, or can't be awakened, call 911 immediately.

Your local non-emergency police number

This is another number worth finding before you need it.

Your local police department or county sheriff may have a non-emergency number for situations that require law-enforcement attention but don't involve an immediate threat to life or safety.

Because jurisdictions differ, look up the appropriate number for your town or city and for your county sheriff's office, and save them both in your phone.

511 for road information

511 is used for traveler information in many parts of the United States. Depending on your state, it can provide information about road conditions, closures, construction, and weather-related travel problems.

That's useful during an ordinary winter storm, and potentially much more important when you're trying to determine whether a route is open during an emergency.

What should you do when you hear an emergency siren?

Here's the first thing to know: there is no single national siren code.

Outdoor warning sirens are controlled locally, and the reasons they're activated, along with the meaning of particular signals, can vary from one community to another. The National Weather Service recommends learning how sirens are used in your own community.

But there's a useful principle to remember: go inside, then get information.

Outdoor warning sirens are primarily designed to alert people who are outside that something may require their attention. The siren itself isn't necessarily going to tell you what is happening.

And don't tie up 911 simply to ask why a siren is sounding. Instead, know where your community publishes emergency information.

Where should you look when something is happening nearby?

• Your county or local emergency alert system. Many communities offer opt-in alerts for evacuation notices, shelter-in-place orders, law-enforcement activity, and other local emergencies.
• Your county or local emergency management page. Some agencies maintain current alerts, incident information, or emergency maps.
• Your local National Weather Service office. For weather-related threats, this should be one of your primary authoritative sources.
• Your sheriff, police department, or emergency management agency's official channels. Local agencies may post developing information faster than television news can report it.
• NOAA Weather Radio. This gives you another way to receive weather and emergency information, particularly when internet or cellular service is unreliable.

The important part isn't memorizing five websites. It's knowing which two or three sources serve your community before the siren starts.

Register for alerts before you need them

Half of what a family needs in an emergency isn't a phone number at all. It's a registration somebody should have done last year.

Your county or local alert system

Search for your county or city name plus "emergency alerts." Some systems allow you to register more than one address, which can be useful if you want alerts involving your workplace, an aging parent's home, or your child's school.

Wireless Emergency Alerts

Wireless Emergency Alerts, or WEA, are different from local opt-in alert systems. You don't sign up for WEA. Compatible phones in an affected geographic area can receive government emergency alerts automatically. It's still worth checking your phone's emergency-alert settings so you understand which alerts are enabled.

School and daycare notifications

Your child's school or daycare notification system is separate from county emergency alerts. Make sure your contact information is current. If a child regularly lives in two households, make sure both homes understand how the school communicates during an emergency and what its reunification procedure is.

Utility outage alerts

Sign up for outage alerts from your electric and other applicable utilities. Sometimes the fastest answer to "is it just our house?" is already sitting in a text message from your utility.

The emergency numbers only you can fill in

This is the part no article can do for you. And it may be the part that matters most. Find and write down:

• Gas utility emergency or leak line
• Electric utility outage or emergency line
• Water and sewer utility
• Well or septic service, if applicable
• Doctor or pediatrician's after-hours line
• Pharmacy
• Veterinarian
• Nearest 24-hour emergency animal hospital
• Insurance claims line and policy number
• School and daycare
• Landlord, HOA, or property manager, if applicable
• Local police non-emergency number
• County sheriff's non-emergency number
• One out-of-area emergency contact

That last one deserves special attention. If a regional emergency affects your entire community, your nearby emergency contact may be dealing with exactly the same problem you are.

An out-of-area contact gives separated family members another person to check in with, and can serve as a central point for information when local communication is difficult.

Can you text 911?

In many communities, yes, but Text-to-911 is not available everywhere.

If you can safely make a voice call, calling 911 is generally the preferred way to reach emergency services, because the dispatcher can communicate with you directly and gather information quickly.

Text-to-911 can be especially important when making a voice call isn't possible or safe, including for some people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability.

If you need to text 911, clearly provide your location and describe the emergency, then follow the dispatcher's instructions. Because availability varies by location, find out whether Text-to-911 is supported in the places where you live, work, and spend significant time.

For more on receiving emergency information without relying on sound, see our guide to how emergency alerts reach a deaf or hard-of-hearing household.

What numbers might you need after a disaster?

The emergency itself and the recovery afterward involve different calls.

FEMA Helpline: 800-621-3362

After a federally declared disaster, 800-621-3362 is FEMA's helpline for questions about federal disaster assistance and applications.

Your insurance claims line

Have the actual claims number available, not just your agent's contact information. When it's safe to do so, document damage before cleanup or repairs, unless immediate action is necessary to prevent additional damage or protect people. Follow your insurer's instructions about documentation and claims.

211

211 may also help connect you with local shelter, food, housing, and recovery resources after a disaster.

Your utilities

Use the appropriate utility emergency or outage channels to report hazards and obtain information about restoration and safe service.

Where should you keep your emergency number list?

In your phone, yes. But not only there.

Keep a paper copy somewhere visible. A refrigerator, inside a kitchen cabinet, or another easy-to-find location works. A dead phone, a babysitter, a visiting grandparent, or someone who doesn't know your passcode can make a paper list surprisingly valuable.

Keep a copy in wallets or purses. A small card doesn't require a battery or cellular service.

Put one in your emergency kit. Your important contact information belongs with your emergency supplies.

Save numbers under names people will actually search. Instead of saving only the utility's corporate name, consider labels such as Gas Emergency, Electric Outage, Poison Help, and Police Non-Emergency. You want the right number to be obvious when someone is stressed.

Our free Family Communication Plan gives you a printable place to organize important contacts, meeting locations, and family information in one place.

What should children know about emergency numbers?

Children need less information than adults sometimes assume. They need a few specific things, taught calmly and clearly.

Depending on their age, children should know:

• Their full name
• A parent or guardian's full name
• Their home address
• How and when to call 911
• That a 911 dispatcher will ask questions
• That they should stay on the line and follow the dispatcher's instructions
• That 911 is for real emergencies, not jokes or practice calls

Rather than giving young children a complicated list of possible emergencies, teach them simple examples appropriate for their age and household.

Our guide to talking to kids about preparedness goes further into how to teach this without making home feel frightening.

A question worth sitting with

If a siren went off in your neighborhood tonight, would you know where to look to find out why?

Not who you would call. Where would you look?

If the honest answer is "I'd check the news and hope," you've found one preparedness gap worth closing this week. And closing it may take only a few minutes.

If you'd like the supplies side handled while you sort out the paperwork side, our home emergency kits arrive packed and ready, and our 72-hour family emergency plan walks through meeting places and family contacts in more detail.

Frequently asked questions

What number do I call if it's not an emergency?

For law-enforcement matters that aren't urgent, use the appropriate local police or sheriff's non-emergency line. For community resources such as food, housing, utilities, and some disaster services, try 211. For a mental health or suicide crisis, call or text 988. For a possible poisoning, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222.

What is 211 and when should I use it?

211 connects people with local health and human-service resources. Depending on your area, that can include food, housing, utility assistance, health care, and disaster-related resources. Call 911 instead when someone is in immediate danger or needs emergency police, fire, or medical assistance.

What happens when you call or text 988?

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline connects people experiencing emotional distress or a mental health, suicide, or substance-use crisis with crisis support. It is available 24 hours a day by call, text, or chat. You can also contact 988 if you're concerned about someone else.

Can you text 911?

Text-to-911 is available in many communities but not everywhere. When you can safely make a voice call, call 911. If you need to text, clearly provide your location and describe the emergency, then follow the dispatcher's instructions.

What should I do when I hear an outdoor warning siren?

Go inside and get information from authoritative local sources. Siren policies vary by jurisdiction, so check your local emergency management agency to learn how outdoor warning sirens are used in your community. Don't call 911 simply to ask why a siren is sounding.

What number do I call for a gas leak?

Gas-emergency procedures and numbers vary by utility and jurisdiction. If you suspect a gas leak, leave the affected area and follow your gas utility's emergency instructions from a safe location. If there is a fire, explosion, immediate danger, or another situation requiring emergency response, call 911. Look up your gas utility's emergency number now and save it in your phone rather than trying to find it during a suspected leak.

Peace of mind, packed and ready.

Sources: Federal Communications Commission, Dial 211 for Essential Community Services and Text-to-911: What You Need to Know; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; Health Resources and Services Administration, Poison Help; National Weather Service, outdoor warning siren guidance and Wireless Emergency Alerts; FEMA, disaster assistance helpline.