Before an emergency happens, it's a good idea to be prepared.
This page contains information to help you know what to do in an emergency situation. It covers information on preparing for an emergency, planning for a flood and how to prepare for severe weather but also critical information on the event of dialling 999 in an emergency.
All 999 calls are free of charge.
Remember the emergency services know the phone number you called from and has a recording of your voice! Never make a hoax call as we can trace you.
If you need to call 999
- Stay calm and speak slowly and clearly
- Give the emergency operator your name and address
When the operator connects you to the relevant emergency service, you will be asked the address of the incident and details of what is happening.
At this stage you will be given advice on what to do
- Ensure you listen to what information the telephone operator is asking you.
- If there is a fire and the caller is in immediate danger, for example if there is a fire in the building where they are making the call, they will be asked to leave the premises. If this is not possible, they will be given appropriate fire survival guidance.
- If the call is a chimney fire and there is no danger to the caller, they may be asked to close windows and doors to the room of the fire to reduce draughts and place a fire guard in front of the grate.
- If the call is for a road traffic collision or other similar incident, other emergency services will be advised and details of any injuries may be taken so that they can be passed to the Ambulance service.
The information you give over the telephone is vital so that relevant emergency services can get to you as soon as possible.
It will help if you try to find out as many details about the address of the incident as you can before you call. If you're not sure, the control centre operator will help you to pinpoint your location. The what3words app is an amazing. It Identifies the unique what3words address for any 3m square in the world. The emergency services can find your exact location whether you are in a field, footpath or someone's garden!
The affects of past flooding events have emphasised the benefits of taking simple steps in advance, like keeping important documents in a box up off of the floor, but the campaign is not limited to helping those who could be affected by flooding. The advice applies to a variety of emergency situations that could cause people to either be confined to their homes or kept out of them for a number of days.
Useful links:
- British Red Cross Emergency app
- Cornwall Community Resilience Network
- Cornwall Community Flood Forum
- What3words
- Make a CLEAR plan
Get involved!
The Duke of Cornwall Community Safety Award
The Duke of Cornwall Community Safety Award was developed to give young people in the UK the first opportunity to learn what to do in an emergency situation such as severe weather, a pandemic or long-term power cut. Find out more from the link above.