Emergency SMS Text Service

The SMS Text Service launched by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, in conjunction, with Lancashire Constabulary is to help benefit members of the public that:

Are Deaf

Are Hard of hearing

Have speech impairments

The service is designed to enable these target groups contact the fire service and police in Lancashire, without needing help from anybody else. This service should only be used for emergencies and by people who can not use a speech telephone in Lancashire.

The following steps will show how the new SMS Emergency Text Messaging Service works, once an emergency has been reported:

1)    A text message has to be sent to the new emergency text number 66247. The text message must begin with either ‘Fire’ or ‘Police’ depending on what emergency service is required.

2)    This message should also include the address of the emergency and if possible a mention of a well known landmark nearby should be included.  It is important to mention what type of incident it is, for example; is it a fire or road traffic accident.

3)    Once the text message has sent, the Control Room will receive the text message and an automated response will be sent out as a reply to the phone within two minutes to confirm that the message has been received.

4)    The Firefighter (Control) will then send a personalised message either to ask for more information or to say that the Firefighters are on their way.

5)    If the sent message from the Firefighter (Control) asks for more information, the member of the public can simply reply to the message providing the information. If the message sent back from the Control Room acknowledges that the Fire Service are on the way to the scene no more communication is required.

For more information please click on the link to download a pdf version of the new Emergency SMS Text Messaging Service Leaflet.