As an experiment AT&T and Baltimore City in Maryland (In the U.S.) set up a sister number to 911 this number also gets you in touch with the emergency services, but for non-emergency situations. Such as your kitten being stuck up a tree or a car being parked across an alley or your driveway. This number was designed to stop all of the non-emergency calls from coming into 911 which was much easier to remember then three seperate seven (ten, since the start of ten digit dialing in Maryland) digit numbers that changed depending on what part of the city you were in. This number went into service within the city limits on October 2, 1996 and is still in service today.


Some guidelines for using 311.....

  • Destruction of property -- not in progress;
  • Threat of non-imminent assault;
  • Reports of thefts -- not in progress;
  • Follow-up information on property crime;
  • Juvenile complaints -- not in progress;
  • Loitering not causing a disturbance;
  • Animal disturbances;
  • Lost property;
  • Parking complaints;
  • Sanitation complaints
  • Abandoned automobile not suspected stolen;
  • Minor flooding or temporary power outages;
  • Telephone misuse unless threatening or a matter involving domestic violence;
  • Open hydrants unless causing a hazard;
  • Sick cases/injured persons/elderly assists unless potentially serious or life-threatening; and
  • Water leaks


Use common sense. If it is in progress or someone could get hurt badly call 911. If not use 311.


An interesting note: Dialing 311 on Bell Atlantic served phone line anywhere within the Bell Atlantic service area besides Baltimore City will sound a tone down your line then leave you without dialtone for a few minutes.

See also: Baltimore 311 pilot project