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Dialling 999 or 112

You always hope that an emergency will never happen to you. But if it does, dialling 999 and knowing what to say or do is important.

health_and_safety

Safety

Dialling 999 or 112 is ALWAYS free on a landline, payphone or mobile phone.

Even if you think someone has already called 999 for the fire service, DO call us yourself to be sure. We’d rather get several calls about a genuine emergency than none at all. NEVER be tempted to tackle a fire yourself, however small it appears. ALWAYS get out, stay out, call 999. You can also dial 112, which is an internationally recognised emergency number and works in the UK.

How does it work?
When you dial 999 or 112, you go through to a BT operator. They’ll ask what service you require. If you need the fire service, say ‘fire’. Then you’ll be connected to our Fire Control room.

What we need to help you

  • try to stay calm and speak clearly
  • operators will ask WHAT you’re reporting and WHERE it is
  • be ready with the house number, road name and district
  • the operator will also ask if you know the name of a road that joins the one where the incident is
  • even if it’s a fire outside, the number of the nearest house will still help
  • the postcode’s useful if it’s a common name, like Church Road
  • a landmark, like a big factory or a school, can be helpful.

A phone with the 999eye logo showing on it.

If you’re on a mobile phone, we might ask you to use a system called 999eye.

Launched by Capita in collaboration with West Midlands Fire Service, 999eye is the first-ever smartphone solution that enables 999 callers, with compatible mobile, to securely send live footage or images of incidents to our control room.

999eye live footage offers instant ‘on-scene eyes’ to our operators, helping them assess the situation and to send the appropriate resources.

It works by sending, with the 999 caller’s permission, a text message to their smartphone containing a link. Once clicked, a one-use-only live stream is established that allows footage or images to be sent directly to the control room.

NEVER move closer to a fire or other incident to take pictures or videos unless you are asked to by our operators and it’s safe to do so.

What if you can’t hear or speak down the phone?

If you can’t hear or talk over the telephone, there is a BT Relay Service you can use instead via an app or SMS text message. Visit our BT Relay page for details.

Other related safety topics

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999 BSL – UK Emergency Video Relay Service
999 BSL connects users to British Sign Language interpreters through an app or a web-based platform. They will relay the conversation to the emergency service/s.
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First aid can be crucial for saving someone's life in an emergency. Here's some basic first aid information that might help.
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If you can’t make voice calls, there’s an emergency BT Relay Service you can use. You have to register via text or download the app before you can use it, so it's best to do that before you need it.
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UK Emergency Alerts
Emergency Alerts are messages sent to all compatible 4G and 5G mobile phones when there’s a danger to your life, health or property in the area you’re located.

Services we offer related to Dialling 999 or 112

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Technical Rescue
Technical Rescue deals with incidents that require additional equipment and training outside the remit of standard firefighting, this can include water rescue, rope rescue, response to terrorist threats and more.
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Incident report
We all hope the worst doesn’t happen, but sometimes when it does, an insurance company, landlord or other agency may require an incident report (sometimes called a Fire Report).
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Fire safety
Fire Safety in business or commercial settings is an important part of our work in keeping the communities of the West Midlands safe. We can offer support and guidance to your business through these services.