Report an Emergency (911)
You should call 911 if:
- You believe someone is being hurt or is in danger.
- You believe property is being damaged.
- A crime is in progress or just occurred.
- Someone needs medical attention.
- There is a fire or signs of a fire such as smoke.
- A potential hazardous materials or chemical spill.
- An alarm of any kind is going off, including burglary, robbery, fire and carbon monoxide alarms.
- A motor vehicle accident has occurred.
- You hear gunshots.
- You see someone you know is wanted by the police.
If you are in doubt, call 911. Ramsey County Emergency Communications staff will assist you and dispatch help.
Providing emergency information to 911
Telecommunicators ask a number of questions to help determine the appropriate assistance to send. As you are providing the telecommunicator with information on the phone, they are entering the call in the dispatch computer, and the dispatcher is giving the information to the officers responding.
The exact questions a caller is asked vary based on the reason for the call and urgency of the situation, but may include:
Where do you need help?
This is the single most important piece of information. If you don’t have an address (the location is an intersection, park area, lake, etc.), you may be asked for more direction. Telecommunicators will also ask for a floor number, suite number, apartment number or other ways we might find you in a building.
What is your phone number?
Responders may need to get more information from you later, or an officer may need to speak with you.
What is your name?
Callers can remain anonymous, but it may impact the officer’s ability to provide help in some situations.
What happened? or What is your emergency?
We are mainly interested in what is happening now, including names and descriptions of suspects, victims or witnesses. The responding officer may ask you about past interactions.
If fire or medical help is also needed you will be connected with a fire dispatcher or medical dispatcher. These dispatchers have additional training in handling fire and medical calls.
View frequently asked questions about Emergency Communications
Text-to-911
Text-to-911 is now available throughout Minnesota.
Text-to-911 should only be used in situations where you are unable to call 911 including:
- Domestic violence, home invasions, human trafficking and suicidal individuals.
- Incidents involving peer pressure or where you must stay quiet to remain safe.
The service is also a first contact option for individuals who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing or have speech impairments.
Remember - call if you can, text if you can't.
How to text 911
- Enter the numbers 911 in the “To” field.
- Text your exact location and type of emergency.
- Send the message.
- Promptly answer questions and follow instructions.
Do not use abbreviations or slang. Do not include emojis or pictures - the system can only accept plain text messages.
Additional information
Cell phones, VOIP and 911
Although it is difficult to believe with today’s mobile technology, calls placed from cell phones give telecommunicators geographic coordinates that vary in accuracy. 911 calls placed from landline phones usually give telecommunicators an actual address. Calls placed through VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) telephones provide a physical address, but the registered address may vary from your actual location.
Regardless of the type of phone you are calling from, it is important to provide your location and verify address information with the telecommunicator.
Non-emergency calls
You should call the non-emergency number at 651-767-0640 to report loud noises and annoyances, to check if your car has been towed or if you need a police report for non-emergency situations.
The non-emergency number is answered 24 hours a day.
View additional information on the non-emergency line.
Residential emergency response information form
If you or a loved one may require special assistance in the event of an emergency, you can complete the Residential Emergency Response Information Form (PDF) and submit it to Emergency Communications for entry into the dispatch alerting file. The form has space to list emergency contacts who live nearby and may be able to help police officers and firefighters, any special assistance needed, medications, allergies and other information that may be of interest or concern.
This form was originally developed by the Saint Paul Mayor’s Advisory Council for People with Disabilities and the Emergency Communications Center, but may be used by anyone who lives in Ramsey County.