Calling 999

1 Should I call 999?

• Don’t be afraid to call. If you’re unsure whether it’s an emergency, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Call 999 and report what you’re seeing.
• Don’t try to contact your local fire station or fire safety team in an emergency. Call 999 and talk to a control room operator, emergency resources can only be mobilised from there.
• Don’t assume someone else has called 999. If you see an emergency, make the call.
• No matter how small the fire, we recommend calling us out to deal with it. Small fires can spread quickly and the smoke can be toxic!
• If there’s a fire in your house or flat, get out and call us. Don’t go back in for any reason. We aim to be there in 6 minutes and have the training needed to put the fire out quickly.

2 What to expect

When you dial 999, a BT operator will ask you what service you need.

The four main 999 services are:

• Fire and rescue
• Ambulance
• Police
• Coastguard

The BT operator will be able to see your number; even if you’ve blocked it. This is a safety feature which allows us to work out the rough location of the fire.

If you ask for Fire, you will be put through to a fire control room, where you will speak to a fire control room operator. You will not be passed to your local fire station. Fire control room operators will send the nearest fire engine with the specialist equipment needed to deal with the incident. This may not be from your local fire station.

3 What information do we need?

What is the postcode?

If you don’t know your postcode, try to give us as much information as possible; are there any local landmarks? What’s the road or street name, what London borough are you in?

At this stage, we’ll start sending out fire engines to you while we gather more information.

What is the situation?

Is it a fire or a car crash? Is anything on fire? If so, what is on fire? This is important to know so we can decide how many fire engines and what equipment to send.

Is there anybody trapped/still in the building?

We need to know this so that we can give those trapped fire survival guidance – this is only done if a member of the public absolutely cannot get out.

If you don’t have all the information above, it’s still better to call and give us the information you do have.

Though it may feel like we’re asking too many questions and that your call is taking too long to deal with, don’t worry. We send fire engines to your location the second we have an address.

We gather further information from you while the fire engines are on their way so that we can inform our crews, meaning they have as much information as possible when they arrive at the scene.

4 Help describing your location

What3words

If you don't know the postcode, or can't spot any local landmarks, the what3words app can be used to pinpoint your exact location.

The app divides the world into 57 trillion squares, each measuring 3m by 3m, with each square having a unique, randomly assigned three-word address.

The app is free to download and available on Apple and Android devices. Download it now to save time in an emergency.

5 Live video streaming

When you call 999 you may be asked if you’d like to provide a live video stream of the incident using your mobile phone. If you agree, the Control Officer will send you a text message with a secure link that opens a live video stream directly from your phone to the Control Room.

It won’t cost you anything, and no other data is taken from your phone, or stored on it. We store the video securely for 30 days before deleting it.

This system is called GoodSAM. The video footage allows Control officers to send the most suitable resources and offer advice based on a more detailed understanding of the incident.

6 Contacting 999 via text message

If you cannot make voice calls, you can contact the 999 emergency services by SMS text from your mobile phone.

You will only be able to use this service if you have registered with emergency SMS first. Text ‘register’ to 999. You will get a reply – then follow the instructions you are sent.

7 999 BSL

999 BSL helps people who use British Sign Language (BSL) call the emergency services.

You can download the 999 BSL app from your App Store, or visit the BSL 999 website. Here's how it works:

• On the app or the website press the red 'Call 999 Emergency now' button.
• You'll be connected to a BSL interpreter.
• The BSL interpreter will pass information between you and a 999 operator.

It’s free and easy to use. We recommend you download the app, or bookmark the website now so it’s there if you need it.