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Who to Call in Fishtown

If you need police at your location in Philadelphia — whether it's an emergency or not — call 911. Don't call a police district station expecting them to send someone out; they'll tell you to call 911 too. Below is who to call for everything else, from potholes to a gas smell.

What to know in Fishtown

  • Police, fire, medical, or any crime in progress: call 911. This is also the number any time you need police sent to your location — not a police district station. Calling a district gets you told to call 911 anyway.
  • A non-emergency city service, like a pothole, a broken streetlight, or a missed trash pickup: call 311. Dial 311 inside Philadelphia or (215) 686-8686 from outside the city. The contact center answers calls 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday, and there’s also a web portal and mobile app for reporting an issue or asking about a city program.
  • Someone living outdoors who needs help. Call Project HOME’s 24-Hour Homeless Outreach Hotline at 215-232-1984 — it connects people to outreach, shelter, and housing services. If the person is in immediate danger or medical distress, call 911 instead.
  • Smell gas? Leave the area right away, then call PGW at 215-235-1212 from a safe place. Don’t use a lighter or matches, don’t flip switches or use a phone inside, don’t try to find the leak or shut off valves yourself, and don’t start a vehicle. Don’t go back in until PGW or a qualified utility representative says it’s safe. Call 911 too if the smell is strong, there’s fire or any sign of an explosion, or anyone feels unwell.
  • Downed power line? Treat every downed line as live and dangerous — don’t touch it, go near it, or try to move it. Call PECO’s emergency line at (800) 841-4141. Call 911 too if anyone’s hurt or there’s fire.
  • Power outage? Call PECO’s 24/7 emergency line at (800) 841-4141, or report it on PECO’s outage page. For non-emergency customer service, PECO is reachable at (800) 494-4000, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.
  • Water main break, or no water at all? Call the Philadelphia Water Department at 215-685-6300 and select the emergency option.
  • A city problem 311 hasn’t solved? Most of Fishtown is in City Council District 1, but some blocks may fall in a neighboring district, so check your address at the City Council website. Your councilmember’s office can often help push a stuck city issue forward.

Your neighborhood association. Fishtown is served by Fishtown Neighbors Association, which can help with a local issue 311 hasn't solved and organizes around neighborhood concerns.

Common questions

Who do I call if I need police but it's not a life-or-death emergency?

Still 911. Philadelphia police are dispatched through 911 regardless of how urgent the situation is — there's no separate non-emergency police number that gets someone sent to you.

Can I call my police district instead?

For community meetings, general neighborhood questions, or to follow up on an existing case, yes. To get police sent to your location, call 911 — a district station will tell you the same thing.

Who do I call about a pothole, broken streetlight or missed trash pickup?

311 — dial 311 inside Philadelphia or (215) 686-8686 from outside the city.

I smell gas. What do I do?

Leave the area right away, then call PGW at 215-235-1212 from a safe place. Call 911 too if the smell is strong, there's any sign of fire or explosion, or anyone feels unwell.

I see someone sleeping outside and I'm worried about them.

Call Project HOME's 24-Hour Homeless Outreach Hotline at 215-232-1984 — they connect people to outreach, shelter and housing services. Call 911 instead if the person is in immediate danger or medical distress.