When something goes wrong fast and you need to know who to call.
The city's own lines
Worcester 311
311
The city line for everything urgent that is not a 911 matter: no heat, a frozen pipe, where the warming or cooling centre is open, snow, water, the street. They pass it to the right department.
455 Main St., Worcester, MA 01608
Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m., and longer in a storm.
Their website
Dial 3-1-1 from a Worcester telephone, or 508-929-1300 from outside the city. Requests can be made online at any hour. In a cold snap the city opens warming centres at the library and the Senior Center - 311 will say what is open. For an emergency, 911.
Worcester Police — non-emergency line
508-799-8606
For something happening now that is not an emergency: noise, somebody about who should not be, a car that has been there a week.
Police Headquarters, 9-11 Lincoln Square, Worcester, MA 01608
Their website
For an emergency, 911. The main police switchboard is 508-799-8600.
Worcester Emergency Management
508-799-1840
The office that plans for storms, heat, cold and worse. It runs ALERTWorcester, the city's warning system, which you can sign up to with your telephone number.
2 Coppage Dr., Worcester, MA 01603
Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Their website
An office line, not an emergency one. Worth signing up to the alerts before you need them.
Worcester Fire Department — headquarters
508-799-1821
The city fire department's office line, for questions that are not emergencies, such as smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, burning permits or a report you need.
Fire Headquarters, 141 Grove Street, Worcester, MA 01605
Office: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm. Fire stations are staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Their website
For a fire, smoke or any emergency, dial 911, not this number.
Worcester Inspectional Services — Housing & Health
508-799-1198
The city office that inspects rented homes. Ring them if your landlord has left you without heat, hot water or another basic service, or if the flat is unsafe.
25 Meade Street, Worcester, MA 01610
Housing & Health: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm.
Their website
Out of hours, report no heat through Worcester 311, which is already listed.
When somebody is in crisis
Community Healthlink — the crisis team
866-549-2142
Worcester's mental health crisis team. They come out to you, at home or wherever you are, at any hour, when an adult is in a mental health or drink and drugs crisis.
At any hour, every day.
Their website
There is a walk-in crisis clinic at 12 Queen St., Worcester.
American Red Cross — Central and Western Massachusetts
800-564-1234
After a house fire or a flood: somewhere to sleep tonight, food, and clothes to be going on with.
2000 Century Dr., Worcester, MA 01606
Their website
That number is for people hit by a fire or other disaster. The Worcester office itself is 508-595-3700.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
988
Ring or text 988 at any hour if you or someone you love is in emotional distress, having thoughts of suicide, or you are worried about them. It is free, and calls are sent to a local crisis centre.
24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Their website
You do not have to be suicidal to ring. There is also online chat at 988lifeline.org/chat.
Massachusetts & Rhode Island Poison Center
1-800-222-1222
Nurses and other trained staff tell you what to do if someone has swallowed, breathed in or touched something harmful, or taken the wrong medicine or too much of it.
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Their website
Free and confidential. If the person has collapsed, is having trouble breathing or is having a seizure, ring 911 first. Hearing impaired: 1-888-244-5313.
YWCA Central Massachusetts — domestic violence helpline
508-755-9030
A free, confidential 24-hour helpline for anyone being hurt or threatened by a partner or family member, including older people abused by relatives. Advocates help with safety plans, court orders and emergency shelter.
1 Salem Square, Worcester, MA 01608
24 hours a day.
Their website
The helpline accepts collect calls. There is also a chat line at ywcahelp.com. 508-767-2505 is the YWCA's main office, not the helpline.
SafeLink — Massachusetts domestic violence hotline
1-877-785-2020
The statewide 24-hour domestic violence hotline, run by Casa Myrna. It is free, confidential and anonymous, and the advocates speak several languages.
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Their website
Use this if the Worcester YWCA line is busy, or if you would rather speak to someone outside Worcester.
Heat, power and the rest
Department of Public Utilities — consumer division
877-886-5066
The state office for a fight with the electric or gas company: a shut-off threatened, a bill that cannot be right, a meter that is wrong.
Their website
Free. There is an email address on their page too. For help paying a heating bill in Worcester, see Home Repairs, Trades & Hospice.
Mass 211
211
One free line for everything else: food, rent, a parent who needs looking after, where to turn. In a disaster it becomes the public information line.
At any hour, every day.
Their website
Dial 2-1-1. If that does not work from your telephone, 1-877-211-6277.
National Grid — power cuts
1-800-465-1212
National Grid supplies electricity to Worcester homes. Ring this number to report a power cut or a fallen wire and to find out when power will be back.
24 hours a day.
Their website
Keep well away from any fallen wire and ring 911 if it is sparking or on fire. National Grid is not Worcester's gas company: gas in Worcester comes from Eversource (listed below).
Eversource — gas leaks and gas service (Worcester)
1-800-592-2000
Eversource supplies gas to Worcester homes. If you smell gas, get out to a safe place and ring 911 first, then report it to Eversource. The same number handles gas customer service, and there is a separate line for gas bill problems.
Gas emergencies: any time. Customer service: Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
Their website
From 15 November to 15 March, service cut off because of financial hardship can be temporarily restored if you qualify; ring the main number. For payment plans, ring Credit and Collections on 866-861-6225. Deaf or hard of hearing: dial 711. The Eversource site gives different numbers by town, so set it to Worcester.
National Grid — protection from being cut off
1-888-211-1313
If everyone in the household is 65 or over and you cannot pay your electric bill, National Grid can put 'Elderly Protection' on your account so the power is not cut off. There are also protections for serious or long-term illness and, from 15 November to 15 March, for households whose heating depends on the electricity.
Their website
You can apply online, by post, fax or email. If your power has already been cut off and you think you qualify, ring this Credit Department number to ask about getting it back on.
Massachusetts Good Neighbor Energy Fund
800-334-3047
A one-off grant, run through the Salvation Army, towards heating or electric bills for households that are struggling but earn a little too much for regular fuel assistance.
Their website
The site said the fund was open for the 2025-26 season. The number above is for callers from the 508 and 774 area codes; ask where your nearest Salvation Army centre takes applications.
The Salvation Army — Worcester
508-756-7191
The Salvation Army's Worcester centre runs a food pantry open to anyone and a social services office that can help with emergency needs, including applications to the Good Neighbor Energy Fund.
640 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01608
Office and social services: Monday to Thursday, 9am to 3pm. Food pantry: Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30am to 1pm.
Their website
Hours changed on 2 February 2026, so older leaflets may be wrong. Closed Fridays.
Catholic Charities — Worcester Area Office
508-798-0191
Help in a money emergency, as far as funds allow: case workers, a food pantry, a clothing closet and a pet food pantry, plus help signing up for or renewing SNAP (food stamps). Open to people of any faith.
10 Hammond Street, Worcester, MA 01610
Office: Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm. Food pantry: Monday to Friday, 10am to 1pm.
Their website
Financial help depends on what money is available at the time, so ring before you go.