I Need Help Now?
Do you need urgent help, are you in a crisis?
If you are in an emergency situation or need immediate help, find a list of useful contact numbers below.
You can now Contact 999 by SMS text
The EmergencySMS service has been developed by RNID, BT, Cable and Wireless, the Department of Communities and Local Government, OFCOM, the UK emergency services and all mobile network operators.
What is emergency SMS?
If you cannot make voice calls, you can now contact the 999 emergency services by SMS text from your mobile phone.
Emergency SMS is part of the standard 999 service which has been designed specifically for people with hearing loss or difficulty with speech.
Since September 2009, the emergency SMS service has successfully handled hundreds of real emergency calls.
Thanks to this service criminals have been arrested, lives have been saved and babies have been born safely.
What is an emergency?
Please do not send test or non-emergency texts - only use emergency SMS for real emergencies.
For example, if:
- someone's life is at risk
- a crime is happening now
- someone is injured or threatened
- there is a fire or people are trapped
- you need an ambulance urgently
- someone is in trouble on the cliffs, on the shoreline or is missing at sea.
This service works throughout the UK on all mobile networks, it cannot be used from abroad.
How do I use Emergency SMS?
You will only be able to use this service if you have registered with EmergencySMS first.
Register now: don't wait for an emergency
To register, text 'register' to 999.
You will get a reply - then follow the instructions you are sent.
In an emergency - Text 999
We need to know:
Who? - Police, Ambulance, Fire and Rescue or Coastguard.
What? - Briefly, what is the problem.
Where? - Exactly where the problem is happening - give the name of the road, house number, postcode or nearby landmark, if possible.
What happens next?
The emergency service will either ask for more information or will tell you that help is on the way.
Don't assume that your message has been received until the emergency service sends a message back.
It will usually take about two minutes before you get a reply. If you don't get a reply within three minutes, please try again or find other ways of getting help.
How do I report a crime?
If you need to report a serious incident please dial 999.
- For Non- Emergencies dial 101.
- For Anti-terrorist hotline call 0800 789 321,
Contact the independent charity CrimeStoppers to report a crime or suspicious behaviour anonymously.
If you have witnessed or been a victim of hate crime you must report it by either calling the numbers above or online through Lancashire Police or through True Vision.
To report fraud or for more advice, visit the Action Fraud website or call 0300 123 2040.
Other Emergency Services
- NHS 111 - Call 111 to speak to a highly trained adviser. They will ask you a series of questions to assess your symptoms and immediately direct you to the best medical care for you. You can also visit 111 online - Get Medical Help.
- Find a GP - If you feel unwell, vomiting, ear pain, back pain or have symptoms that don't go away, call your local GP for advice or for out of hours advice call 111.