Who should I call….?

There is understandably a lot of confusion as to how to use the various government/neighborhood phone numbers when we want to report something or obtain information.

Here in South Park we have three important numbers to use when something comes up that we can’t handle ourselves:

When do I call 911?      (The operative words here are emergency and life or property threatening)

Call 911 if someone has symptoms that could be life-threatening or need urgent medical help, such as:

         Chest pain, pressure, or trouble breathing

         Signs of stroke: sudden face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty

         Severe allergic reaction

         Unconsciousness, or lack of responsiveness

         Seizures lasting several minutes

         Severe bleeding that won’t stop

         Serious head injury or major trauma

         Sudden confusion, inability to speak, or severe weakness

         Bicycle or pedestrian accidents needing immediate care

         Suspected overdose or poisoning

         Thoughts of suicide with immediate danger, or active attempts to self-harm

                  or harm others

          A fire emergency or a serious accident

          A crime in progress

         If someone’s life or safety is in immediate danger

If you are unsure whether a situation is an emergency, it is generally safer to call 911 and let the dispatcher help determine the urgency.  Also keep in mind that general police services and budgets are structured around incidents reported.  If you don’t report it, it is not recorded and no community benefit with the police department is gained.  If you question whether or not to report an issue to 911, I suggest you go ahead and report it.

When do I call 311?    (The operative words here are non-emergency City of  Los Angeles services and information.)

Use 311 to call or use the website MyLA311 when you need LA city assistance but there is no immediate threat to life, health, or property for:

         Reporting potholes or damaged streets

         Graffiti removal requests

         Illegal dumping or bulky item pickup

         Missed trash or recycling collection

         Street light outages

         Damaged sidewalks or curbs

         Tree maintenance on city property

         Abandoned shopping carts or vehicles

         General questions about city services, permits, or offices 

When do I call the South Park/Social District Bid

You should call the South Park/Social District BID hot line (866-560-9346) only for services the BID offers.  Typical reasons to contact the BID include:

Clean and Safety Ambassadors and quality of life and neighborhood service issues that don’t require an emergency response

         Reporting cleanliness issues within the district, such as overflowing trash cans, litter, or graffiti

         Alerting them to non-emergency quality-of-life concerns that affect the district’s public spaces

         Asking about district events, programs, or community initiatives

         Reporting maintenance issues on BID-managed amenities, such as planters, street furniture, or lighting

         Inquiring about business resources, marketing opportunities, or district partnerships if you are a property owner or a business

         Providing feedback or asking questions about the BID’s operations or services

         Requesting a Safety Officer to accompany you home at night if you feel unsafe

Requesting help with issues with non-violent homeless persons

You should not call the BID for:

Emergencies involving fire, serious medical situations, crimes in progress, or immediate threats to life or property – call 911 instead!

Non-emergency police matters that should be handled by the police department

City service outside the BID’s responsibilities, such as water or sewer emergencies--report these issues directly to the appropriate city agency 

Any other problems not covered by the above?  Just call Ghost Busters!

By: John Nilsson (with help from ChatGBT)