Special Publications - Living Here - Living Here_Q&A

Sunday, Mar. 30, 2008

Q: When should I call 911?

A: "Basically, (call) if it's an emergency. If you're witnessing a crime in progress, if there's a medical emergency or if you see a collision occur. We like it if you (call) if you see a disabled vehicle on the side of the road.

"We don't want calls to 911 for nonessential things like, 'Should I go to work today?' … 'What are the roads like?' etc. If it's not an actual emergency, you shouldn't be calling 911."

— Kirk Rudeen, trooper with the Washington State Patrol