City Promotes Public Safety Education on Emergency Services
A public education initiative aimed at helping residents understand when to use emergency versus non-emergency services was presented, focusing on the distinction between 311 and 911 calls.
The educational program used interactive scenarios to test community knowledge about appropriate service usage. Participants were asked to identify whether various situations warranted emergency or non-emergency responses, including fireworks complaints, break-ins, stolen vehicles, suspicious activity, and property damage.
The presentation demonstrated common confusion among residents about when to call each service. Scenarios ranged from ongoing fireworks disturbances and discovered thefts to suspicious behavior and vehicle break-ins, with responses varying based on timing and severity.
The program emphasized that emergencies require immediate 911 response, while non-emergency situations should be directed to 311 services. Officials noted that proper service usage helps ensure appropriate response times and resource allocation.
The initiative concluded with the message that knowing who to call helps everyone receive appropriate services and contributes to community safety.
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Source document
[0:00] Do you know when to call 311 and when to call 911?
We asked folks about a few different scenarios.
[0:06] Your neighbors across the alley have been setting
off fireworks late at night for days. Who should
[0:11] you call? 311. 911. 311. What if it's kids
setting them off? 311. 911. 911. You return
[0:22] home from vacation to find that someone broke
into your garage and stole several tools and
[0:26] a lawnmower. Who should you call? Probably 311
if the person isn't there right away. 911. 911.
[0:35] You parked your car in front of your home and
now it's missing. Who should you call? That's
[0:39] probably a 911. I don't know, maybe a 311 though.
Police I guess. 911. And last night you witnessed
[0:48] a stranger walking down the street and looking
into cars and house windows. Who should you call?
[0:53] 311. Maybe 911. 311. What if you saw it happen 5
minutes ago? I would call 911 then. I don't know
[1:02] actually. 911. You find a purse on your lawn you
suspect it's stolen. Who should you call? 311. I
[1:10] keep hitting 911, but I guess, it was supposed
to be 311? You wake up to find someone smashed
[1:16] the window of your SUV and took your CD player.
Who should you call? 311. You said it's past,
[1:22] right? Yeah, 311. What if they also took your
handgun from the glove compartment? 911. 911. 911.
[1:32] For emergencies call 911, for non-emergencies
call 311. Knowing who to call can help everyone
[1:38] get the right services at the right time,
and that makes us safer together. [Applause]
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Other Topics from This Document
Public Safety Communication: Differentiating 311 and 911 Usage
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