Is the 999 system down? Following a nationwide shutdown due to a technical fault, 999 services are back up and running, see here for the reason for the shutdown.
What is 999?
The 999 emergency telephone number is an important resource in the UK. This number serves as a direct line of communication with emergency services, including police, fire, and EMS.
Originally introduced in the United Kingdom in 1937, the choice of the number 999 was based on its simplicity and ease of recall, even in high-stress situations. Its distinctiveness from other numbers, such as the European emergency number 112, further increases its effectiveness.
When you dial 999, you will be connected to a skilled call handler who will guide you through a series of questions to assess the urgency and nature of your emergency. Based on this assessment, the call handler will immediately dispatch the appropriate emergency services to your exact location.
It is important to remember that 999 should only be used in genuine emergencies. If there is any uncertainty as to the seriousness of the situation, it is always advisable to exercise caution and contact 999 for professional assistance.
After dialing 999, individuals will be connected to a trained operator equipped to handle a wide range of emergencies. These operators are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year, ensuring constant access to critical assistance for those who need it.
Responsible use of the emergency number 999 is essential. Cases where it is appropriate to call 999 include witnessing a serious crime in progress, a medical emergency, a fire or a car accident with trapped or injured people.
False alarms place an unnecessary burden on emergency services, potentially hindering their ability to respond quickly to real emergencies. It is therefore crucial to reserve the use of 999 exclusively for situations that truly require immediate attention. For non-emergencies, alternative numbers are available, such as 101 to contact the police, 111 for urgent medical advice or the non-emergency number of the local fire service.
Remember, effective use of the 999 emergency number ensures that resources are effectively allocated to those who need them most, increasing the chance of saving lives and protecting the community.
Is the 999 system down?
Yes, there have been reports of problems with the 999 emergency call system in various regions of London. These reports suggest that the system may be down or experiencing technical difficulties.
Consequently, individuals have been advised to instead use alternative emergency numbers such as 101. It is crucial to stay abreast of any developments or changes to emergency protocols during such situations. Britons are being warned not to dial 999 this morning, Sunday 25 June.
According to the Metropolitan Police, this outage is the result of a loss of connectivity with several police forces across the UK. The exact impact on the affected forces is yet to be confirmed as the cause is believed to be a technical fault. Unfortunately, a significant number of 999 calls fail to make a connection, forcing individuals in need to explore alternative options.
The Metropolitan Police released this information on Sunday morning and urged people to call 101 in an emergency. They explained that due to a technical fault affecting multiple police forces, many 999 calls are not connecting successfully. In April, figures from NHS England revealed waiting times for 999 calls, with a national average of 28 seconds.
However, one in ten callers waited more than one minute and 33 seconds, and one in 100 callers endured a wait of four minutes and 12 seconds. An ongoing technical fault is causing the aforementioned disruption to the 999 emergency call system, further exacerbating the situation.
https://twitter.com/RichPreston/status/1672883678098206720Expand the tweet
Why is the 999 emergency number not working?
According to the government, the technical issues that affected 999 calls have now been resolved. The emergency telephone system, operated by BT, remained operational thanks to a resilient back-up system. However, the replacement locator, which provides automatic text location information, is not as reliable as the primary 999 system, the city’s police said.
The Government spokesman reassured the public that the problem has been completely resolved and the service is functioning normally. They stressed that anyone needing emergency help should call 999 as usual. A thorough investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the problem.
BT has acknowledged the technical fault is ongoing and has stated that their engineers are working diligently to identify its root cause. They clarified that the problem is not related to third parties or hot weather, nor is it related to a separate Android handset issue reported earlier this week.
The top priority for BT is to restore the primary 999 lines as quickly as possible, and technical information about the operation of the system or the architecture of the back-up solution cannot be shared due to the critical status of the national infrastructure.
The Metropolitan Police have admitted that the backup system is less effective in locating callers. They urged individuals to provide their emergency address or identify the names of nearby streets or landmarks to help locate the incident. Bedfordshire Police suggested using #what3words if an emergency address is unknown.
At around 10am, emergency services across the country confirmed they could once again receive calls to 999, although some residual difficulties may persist. BT deployed the back-up platform after reports of connection problems with 999 calls at around 8.30am on Sunday, prompting people to call 101 for police and fire, or 111 for medical emergencies.
Certain police, fire and ambulance services reported difficulties, while Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service warned of a 30-second delay in connecting to 999. Suffolk Police indicated their system may not be working at full capacity and advised using 999 only for real emergencies.
999 Outage
The Metropolitan Police have officially confirmed that the 999 service is back up and running, following a temporary disruption caused by a technical fault. During this brief outage, Londoners have been advised to contact 101 in an emergency and to refrain from making non-emergency calls until further notice. The fault affected multiple police forces across the country as the 999 system, operated by BT, experienced a technical fault on Sunday morning.
BT has assured the public that its back-up platform is now fully operational, allowing everyone to continue calling 999 without any problems. The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that all services have been successfully established. Other police forces outside London, including South Wales Police and Greater Manchester Police, have faced similar problems. Considering the situation, they invited citizens to call 101 in case of emergency.
In order to ensure the smooth flow of emergency communications, it is essential to limit non-emergency calls at this time. The Metropolitan Police emphasized this point on their Twitter account, stating: “Please only call in an emergency and wait until later to make non-emergency 101 calls.”
In addition, several services, such as Greater Manchester Police, Hampshire Police, Bedfordshire Police, West Yorkshire Police, West Midlands Police, Norfolk Police and South Wales Police, have specifically instructed the public to dial 101 for emergencies.
Even fire services, including Bedfordshire Fire Brigade, Leicestershire Fire Brigade and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, have urged people not to use the national 999 system to report fires. Instead, they have provided alternative direct numbers to contact their control rooms.
Rest assured that the technical issues plaguing the national 999 system are being actively addressed. BT has acknowledged the problem and is working quickly to resolve it. As it progresses, it will be updated regularly to keep everyone informed.
We can now breathe a sigh of relief knowing that the 999 service is back on track, thanks to the efforts of the dedicated teams involved in putting things right. Let’s continue to prioritize 999 calls while the problem is fully resolved, allowing emergency services to effectively help those in need.
Disclaimer: The above information is for general information purposes only. All information on the website is provided in good faith, however we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, as to the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability or completeness of any information on the website.
Categories: General
Source: HIS Education