Phone numbers to save livesApr 1, 2016
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Blogs can be informative, entertaining, inspiring but also life-saving, like this one. Did you know, for example, that the best mobile number to use in a serious and life-threatening emergency could be 112, which reverts to 999 in the UK?
After 2018 all new cars and small vans will be fitted with black box technology to automatically alert the nearest emergency centre in the event of a serious road accident. But before then, and if your car isn’t a new one with this on-board technology, what would you do if you were the first motorist to an accident scene, in a rural situation perhaps, where the driver is unconscious and/or in a serious condition?
When I asked a group of women recently they all knew of the 999 service in the UK but were unaware of the 112 service, All worried about a poor mobile signal and how this might work overseas. The answer may be to dial 112 for more chances of getting urgent help when it matters most.
This is because 112 is recognised by ALL phone networks. Across the UK, in Europe, the USA, Australia, Canada, India, Pakistan ie 70+ countries worldwide.
NB: Both 999 and 112 are set up to keep on hunting for another UK network on your phone, to help get all emergency calls through as quickly as possible.
What if you were first to an accident scene, without a mobile phone?Just imagine you were the first motorist to an accident scene, but you didn’t have a topped up mobile phone with you or to hand? What would you do then?
Maybe the injured person had a phone instead? Did you know you could use that phone to dial 999 or 112 because no security permissions apply to do this and there aren’t any ‘pay as you go’ credit requirements.
What if you’re in mountainous terrain with limited phone signals?What would you do if there’s no phone signal and you’re on a team-building exercise in a remote, hilly or mountainous area with limited mobile phone masts, like North Wales or parts of the Lake District perhaps?
The advice given is to stay calm of course because it can take a while for a phone to hunt a signal and connect in these circumstances but, as a guideline, if nothing happens after, for example, three minutes, try calling again using the other ear or turning around 180 degrees – you might be standing between the only local phone mast and your phone.
Pre-register with 112 to use their text serviceIn some cases it might be more efficient to send a text to 999/112 (texts will often get through when a phone call won’t). To do this, you must be registered with 999 and/or 112 first. I recommend you do this in advance of any life-threatening emergency. This is how you do this…
- text 999/112 with a message stating REGISTER
- read the reply in full then reply YES
You will then be registered to use this service in the event of a serious and life-threatening emergency. Heaven forbid but you would at least be able to text details and so on.
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As you might expect, hoax calls/texts have been made and offenders face prosecution charges for wasting emergency services’ valuable time. But this knowledge of the 112 service COULD save lives where used wisely, efficiently and appropriately. And the life could be yours of course so please share this blog/video link with others.
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