Contacting 999

Also called emergencySMS, 999 text, 999 BSL, Emergency SMS, Silent solution

Three ways to reach the emergency services if you cannot speak or hear on a phone. One needs registering in advance, so do it today.

What it is

The 999 service in the UK can be reached without a voice call in three ways. emergencySMS lets you text 999 from a registered mobile. Relay UK on 18000 puts a relay assistant between you and the operator by text. 999 BSL connects you to a BSL interpreter by video. There is also the silent solution: on an ordinary voice call, if you cannot speak, the operator will prompt you to press 55 on a mobile to confirm the call is genuine.

All of them reach the same police, ambulance, fire and coastguard control rooms. None of them is slower to get help to you once the call is understood.

Who it can help

Deaf people, people who are non-speaking, people whose speech is hard to understand under stress, people with aphasia, people who stammer, and anyone in a situation where speaking aloud is not safe. Also families and carers, who should know which route the person uses so it can be practised.

The one thing these routes cannot do is help a person who never set them up. emergencySMS needs a one-off registration by text before it will work, and a 999 text from an unregistered phone is not delivered. Do it now, not in the emergency.

How it works

emergencySMS: text the word "register" to 999, reply "yes" to the message that comes back, and you are registered for that number. In an emergency, text 999 with which service you need, what is happening and where you are, as precisely as you can. Expect a reply within a couple of minutes; if you get none, try again or use another route. Relay UK: dial 18000 from the app or a textphone and type; the assistant relays. 999 BSL: open the app or website and sign to the interpreter, who speaks to the operator.

Whichever route you use, location is the crucial thing. Give the postcode, the street, the nearest landmark. A modern smartphone may send location automatically, but do not rely on it.

Getting started

Do three things today. Register for emergencySMS by texting "register" to 999. Install the Relay UK and 999 BSL apps if either applies to you. Then write a short emergency message in whatever you use to communicate and save it somewhere you can reach it fast. The Talk board's quick phrases and the places and health sets can hold the words you would need; practise saying them aloud through the device so the phrase is familiar.

If you support someone, make sure their phone is registered, that the message template has their address on it, and that anyone who cares for them knows which route the person uses. Put it in the hospital passport and the communication passport.

Where to get help

To register for emergencySMS, text the word register to 999 and follow the reply; it takes a couple of minutes and is best done long before you need it. Relay UK covers 18000. RNID explains all three for Deaf and hard of hearing people. Sense has advice for deafblind people, including how a family member can help set the phone up.