Emergency Services UK Dial 999

So. You've moved to the U.K., and like me, a few weeks in, you realize you're no longer in 9-1-1 territory. You probably don't have any family or close friends in this new country, and reaching out to new colleagues or acquaintances might not be the greatest idea. So, knowing how to quickly and efficiently reach local emergency services is a must in your survival toolkit. Ditto for your children's.

If you are IN the UK, in case of an emergency, dial 999.

If you are hearing/speech-impaired dial 18000 for a text phone.

Keep reading for a complete list of the most important nationwide numbers to have at hand. A printer-friendly cheat sheet will be available shortly from the downloads page.

Photo credit: JPhotoStyle.com

999 | Emergency calls

This number is for emergencies only. Dial 999 when/if:

• a crime/fire is happening right now;
• a suspect involved in a serious crime is nearby;
• there is a car accident;
• someone is in immediate danger.

If you are hearing/speech-impaired, a text phone is available on 18000.

Some Facts About 999

In the UK, both 999 and 112¹ connect to the same service. There is no priority or charge for either of them.

999 is accessible via SMS for pre-registered users.

You MUST NOT use a hand-held mobile phone when driving, except to call 999 when it is unsafe or impractical to stop.

In London, the 999 service is available in 150 languages.

In Ireland, the 999/112 service is able to respond in English, Irish, Polish, French, German and Italian.

Not all emergency authorities have EISEC, a technology allowing for call location data to be electronically transmitted to the relevant ECC. In rare cases the operator still has to state their location and the caller's number verbally, in which case, please be patient and don't speak over the operator.

How Emergency Calls Go

When you dial 999/112, an operator will answer and ask, "Emergency. Which service?" You should know which service you need ahead of time.

Throughout the UK, there are four emergency services with 24/7 Emergency Control Centres (ECC):

Police • Fire Brigade • Ambulance service • Coastguard

Photo credit: Dave Conner, Wikipedia.

In turn, these four have access to Lifeboat service, Mountain rescue, Cave rescue, Moorland search and rescue, Quicksand search and rescue (operating in the extensive quicksands of Morecambe Bay), Mine rescue, and Bomb disposal (provided by the military).

Emergency operators will connect you to the ECC you require, in the area you are (or appear to be) calling from. If you are unsure which service you need, the operator will route the call to police. If the incident requires more than one service, the service you ask for will alert the other services for you (the operator has to also contact each emergency service individually, regardless of whether you are still on the line).

For a more in-depth idea of emergency calls, read more on the NHS's website.

Non-Emergency Calls

There are specific numbers to call for non-emergencies (i.e. to report a stolen car, or to request medical advice). As this entry is already very long, I will leave you with the numbers to use in an emergency. For the follow-up post, click on to UK Non Emergency Numbers.



Foot Notes //
¹ The European emergency number 112 is also used in the UK. Read more.