Austin residents often find themselves asking where to turn for city services that fall short of a life-threatening emergency. Representatives Marisa Campbell and Brynn McCurley from Austin 311 had a conversation with Inside Austin host Brian Fitzgerald where they addressed these common queries and demystified the non-emergency service, detailing how it acts as a central operational point for local residents.
"We are the non-emergency number for the city of Austin and we provide a lot of great resources as well," Campbell said. She noted that the service handles maintenance requests, general information inquiries, and city-related questions.
A key focus was clarifying the distinction between calling 911 versus 311. Emergency calls are reserved for situations involving immediate danger to life or property. In contrast, non-emergency matters comprise situations like loose livestock, malfunctioning traffic signals, minor vehicle accidents, or reporting a past break-in after the suspect has already left the area.
"If you're ever unsure about... if something is an emergency or not, you can always call 311 too and we'll be happy to tell you or we can push you over to 911," Campbell explained.
To ensure clear communication across diverse communities, Austin 311 offers extensive language support. Callers can request assistance in their preferred language through a dedicated language access line that supports more than 200 languages with real-time translation.
"You just tell the call ambassador your language, and then they connect you through our language access line," Campbell said.
In addition to traditional phone calls, residents can utilize the Austin 311 mobile app or visit austin311.org. The mobile application allows users to upload up to three photos, automatically pin exact GPS locations, and submit service requests within minutes.
"The app is honestly great. It's my preferred method to submit service requests. It's so easy," Campbell noted.
Once a request is logged, Austin 311 acts as a liaison, routing the report directly to the corresponding city department for resolution. "We like to call ourselves the hub. We're the hub of the city," Campbell said.
For residents calling from outside the city limits or using mobile carriers that do not route 311 calls directly, the service can be reached via its ten-digit number at 512-974-2000. Both representatives encouraged community members to stay engaged, report municipal issues proactively, and connect with the agency across its social media platforms.
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