Tips & Links

Contacting the City in the Event of an Emergency
Take time now to plan how you will talk to friends or emergency workers in an emergency. During an emergency, your normal way of communicating may be affected by changes in environment, noise, service disruptions or confusion. Your emergency plan should include different ways you can communicate with others. Make a plan
There are resources available to help you locate family and friends that have been affected by a disaster. Learn more
When to Call 911:
When to Call 311:
- When you need access to non-emergency services or information about City government programs.
- Do NOT call 311 for emergencies.
- Other ways to connect to 311:
- Contact 311 online.
- Text 311-692.
- Use a Video Relay Service (VRS) at 212-NEW-YORK (212-639-9675).
- Use TTY or Text Telephone at 212-504-4115.
- Call (212) NEW-YORK (212-639-9675) from outside New York City.
- Skype at NYC311
Emergency Telephone Tips
- If you call 911, specify the type of emergency (fire, medical, police) and be prepared to answer questions. During a medical emergency, turn a light on so that emergency responders can find your home.
- During emergencies, please use the telephone only when absolutely necessary to keep the lines free for emergency calls. If you have broadband Internet access, use NYC.gov.
- If you have a hearing disability, you can request police, fire, and medical assistance from public pay phones and/or emergency call boxes. For more information, visit the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities online.
If the 911 system becomes unavailable for any reason, call the fire department dispatcher and emergency medical service or your local police precinct.
More Resources
Federal, State, and Local Government Resources
Unless otherwise noted, contact City government offices by calling
311 (212-639-9675 for Video Relay Service, or TTY: 212-504-4115).
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
New York City Human Resources Administration
New York City Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities
- Visit the website
- ASL Direct is a video calling system put in place by the City of New York to provide an all-inclusive, accessible means to City services. Contact the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities during business hours to get the information and resources you need in American Sign Language (ASL). Visit the website
Insurance Resources
Tip: buy the right insurance. If you rent your home, renter's insurance will insure the items inside your apartment. If you are a homeowner, make sure your home is properly insured — flood and wind damage are not covered in a basic homeowner's policy.
New York City Comptroller
- Visit the website
- 212-669-3916 (hotline); action@comptroller.nyc.gov
- If you believe damage to your property was the fault of the city, you can submit a claim with the Comptroller, who will investigate the situation and possibly offer a financial settlement for the damage.
- Claims must be filed within 90 days of a flood event.
National Flood Insurance Program
FEMA Region II Coastal Analysis and Mapping
- Visit the website
- The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) are used to determine who must buy flood insurance and where floodplain development regulations apply. Note: in June 2013, FEMA Region II released preliminary revisions to New York City flood zones as a result of a new coastal flood study to update the information shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). As the next step in the flood map update process for New York City, FEMA will be issuing Preliminary FIRMs and a Preliminary Flood Insurance Study (FIS), a narrative report of a community's flood hazard. These maps and study are the official version of the Preliminary Work Maps that were released in June 2013, and will go through a public review and comment period as well as an official appeals period. For more information about the flood map update process, visit NYC.gov/floodmaps.
New York State Department of Financial Services
United States Small Business Administration
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
Insurance Information Institute
Utilities
Tip: if you rely on medical equipment that requires electric power, ask your utility company if the medical equipment qualifies you to be listed as a life-sustaining equipment customer. Learn more about listing as a life-sustaining equipment customer.
Con Edison
Public Service Electric and Gas Company – Long Island (PSEG LI)
National Grid
Nongovernmental and Not-for-Profit Service Providers
American Red Cross in Greater New York
Salvation Army: New York Division
New York Cares
New York Disaster Interfaith Services
Neighborhood Housing Services of New York City, Inc.
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York
United Jewish Appeal
National Organization on Disability's Emergency Preparedness Initiative
Mental Health
NYC Well
For mental health information, a referral, or if you need to talk to someone, call NYC Well, New York City's confidential, 24-hour Mental Health Hotline.
- English: 1-888-NYC-WELL (1-888-692-9355), Press 2
- Relay Service for Deaf/Hard of Hearing: Call 711
- Español: 1-888-692-9355, Press 3
- 中文: 1-888-692-9355, Press 4
Interpreters are available for 200+ languages. Stay on the line, and you will be connected with a counselor who can connect you to translator services.