911 is the only actual emergency number with regulations around it in the US. police and fire have _non_ emergency numbers that differ, my local hospitals will tell you to call 911; and gas, water, power, and other immediate risks to life safety are all 911 anyway (at least as the first call).
Sometimes it seems dumb, but as long as its an honest report I've never heard of anything more than an annoyed patrol officer. Felt stupid calling in an interstate sized sign hanging by a literal bolt-thread but the patrol shut down that lane.
In general the emergency services would rather come out for something that sounds on the face of it stupid ("This sign is hanging down above the road and flapping in the breeze, can you come out to it?") and deal with it with plenty of time.
Far better than getting the call "This sign has come down and chopped a bus in half, and then four cars have run into the back of the wreckage".
Build the fence at the top of the cliff, not the hospital at the bottom.
The other one you get is "remove object from person", which is usually not as rude as it sounds. Mostly, it's cutting a ring that's too tight off someone.
What, you want me to call 999? To get a ring that's too tight off? I mean it's hurting my finger but is it really an emergency?
Yes, dumbass, it's an emergency. Get the ring off your finger right now before the blood supply gets compromised and you end up with a big slug of stale dead blood washing round you when you finally do get it off. You could lose your hand if you piss about with it too long.
I know it seems like overkill to have a 18-tonne Scania rock up with five guys in it just to cut through that little ring, but they have the right tools to do it quickly and easily, and no-one wants to have to cut your hand off.
Ring 999 while you still have two working hands.
Smoke alarm going off? No apparent reason? At least ring them up for advice. There might be something you haven't seen. Just phone them.
It's far easier dealing with you not being on fire in the first place, than dealing with you being on fire later. Not being on fire is good.
Sometimes it seems dumb, but as long as its an honest report I've never heard of anything more than an annoyed patrol officer. Felt stupid calling in an interstate sized sign hanging by a literal bolt-thread but the patrol shut down that lane.