Staffordshire Police

 If you have problems hearing or speaking there’s a new national emergency SMS text service
You can use the number to contact

• Police
• Fire
• Ambulance
• Coast guard.

SMS 999 is only for emergencies.

Here are some examples of emergencies:

• someone needs an ambulance straight away
• someone is seriously hurt
• someone is being seriously threatened
• someone is in danger
• someone is committing a crime nearby
• there is a fire or people are trapped
• someone is missing at sea
• someone is in danger on cliffs or on a beach.

How does the service work?

You need to register your phone to be able to use the service.

Registering using SMS

To register using SMS text messages you must:

Send the word ‘REGISTER’ in an SMS message to 999. You will then receive SMS messages about the service. When you have read these SMS messages reply by sending 'yes' in an SMS message to 999. You will recive a SMS message telling you that your mobile phone is registered or if there is a problem with your registration.

Checking your registration 

You can check your mobile phone registration by sending the word 'register' in a SMS message to 999.

You will recieve a SMS message telling you if your mobile phonei is registered or if there is a problem with your registration.

Unable to register

If you try to register and do not recive a SMS message from the emergency SMS service please check with your mobile communications provider to make sure they support the mergency SMS service

For more information and BSL video clips visit www.emergencysms.org.uk  (Opens in new window)

Download a copy of the leaflet  (Opens in new window)here.

How to send a text message

Text to 999
What you need e.g. POLICE, FIRE,
AMBULANCE OR COASTGUARD

• what happened
• where the problem happened
  
• where you are
  
• the street name
  
• house number
  
• buildings nearby to help people find you (e.g. church or supermarket).

What happens next?

You will get a reply in about two minutes.
The message may ask you for more information or say that help is coming.
A 'delivery report' does not mean your message was sent.
Send the text again if you get no reply after three minutes.
Try to get someone to help you if you cannot send a text.

If you have already registered with Staffordshire Police:
use the old number (07929 302010) for anything that is not an emergency

If you have not registered with Staffordshire Police and would like to register to use our non emergency SMS text service please download and complete the registration form (Opens in new window).  

When you have written your details on the form send it to:
Storm Bureau,
Staffordshire Police,
Weston Road,
Stafford,
ST18 0YY.