Call 911 to get help in an emergency

When you call 911, stay on the line. Tell us your address, cross street, and what’s happening.

Anong gagawin

Stay on the phone

When you call 911, even if by mistake, do not hang up early. Stay on the phone so you can talk with us.

If you hang up early, we may send the police or fire department even if you don’t need them. This makes it harder for everyone to get emergency help when they really need it.

Tell us your language

Immediately tell us the language or dialect you speak so we can quickly connect you to an interpreter.

We can connect you to an interpreter service that can translate over 170 languages.

Answer all our questions

In an emergency, we need to know:

  • Where the emergency is
  • What is happening
  • Who is involved
  • If there is a weapon
  • If anyone is injured

Your answers help us send the right kind of help. They also help keep responders safe when they arrive.

You must give your location when calling from a cell phone

When you call from a cell phone, we do not know where you are calling from. You must give us the location.

Do not hang up

We may need to get more information from you, even after we have sent help.

We may be asking a lot of questions as help is on the way. Do not hang up.
 

Speech or hearing impaired

If you use a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TTY), call 9-1-1 or 553-8090.

Once connected, you can tap the spacebar on the TTY spacebar every few seconds. This lets us know through tones that you are calling from a TTY device. But it is not a requirement to do this.

Send a text

If you can't call, send us a text.

We can't receive pictures or video yet.

We'll ask you the same questions we ask on the phone.

Humingi ng tulong

Phone

Emergencies

911

For immediate dangers, crimes in progress, and medical emergencies

Police

Call this number when it's not an emergency.

311

For city services, including to report crimes not in progress

If you are not in San Francisco

Call this number to reach 911 in San Francisco; for example, if you are on the phone with someone in SF who has an emergency.

Last updated November 9, 2022