999 – Beyond the Basics Do you have the knowledge to seek help in an emergency? Would you know how to take leadership of an emergency? Values focus – self-control, responsibility, courage, confidence

Starter Do you know what number to call in an emergency? In an emergency, you dial 999. The operator answers and you say whether you want fire, police or ambulance – or coastguard or mountain or cave rescue. However, that's the bare outline.

Answer the following question honestly. If you were in an emergency situation and you had to make a 999 phone call, how confident would you feel about doing so? not confident at all very confident

You are going to see a series of questions on the following slides. You will have 60 seconds to discuss the possible answers in your teams, then your teacher will go through the answers in more detail.

1.Most people know to call 999 for the emergency services. A different number is used elsewhere in the European Union. What is it? Does it work in the UK? The number is 112. Yes, it works in the UK.

2.Can you call for an emergency service by texting? How? Some 999 schemes for SMS – text messaging – have been tried in different parts of the country. Designed for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech-impaired, they are often run by local fire and rescue or police services. It is not straightforward. In some schemes, you have to register before you can use the system. An obvious problem is that SMS cannot be guaranteed to be instant. Texts can take many hours to arrive, and there is no way to prioritise them as urgent. Also, the location of someone texting cannot be pinpointed as accurately as someone using a voice call from a mobile.

3.What happens if you dial the emergency services number, but can't speak – either through illness or because, for example, you are afraid you might be overheard? The system for "silent calls" is that they are transferred to an automated system. A recorded voice asks you to tap the phone or dial 5 twice to show you are there. If there is no response, the call is automatically cut off. Operators can override the cut-off if they hear suspicious noises.

4.How old do you have to be to call the emergency services? There's no age limit. What's more, young children have successfully called 999 and got essential help. A five year old recently did brilliantly when his mother had an epileptic seizure. Read the conversation below. 999 call

5.Can you call 999 from a pay-as-you-go mobile phone that has run out of credit? What about one whose keypad is locked? Or doesn't have a SIM card? Yes, you don't need credit because calls to 999 or 112 are free. It's part of the design of phones that these numbers can be called even if the phone is locked. Some people think that 999 calls can be made from a phone without a SIM. In fact, because of the high number of hoax calls, the United Kingdom decided to block emergency calls from mobile phones without a SIM card.

6.Is ringing 999 as a joke, when there isn't actually an emergency, a criminal offence? What about calling accidentally, which can happen when you sit on your phone or it gets knocked in your bag? Should you hold to talk to the operator if you realise that has happened, or just hang up? Yes, it's a criminal offence to make a joke or malicious hoax call. Accidentally triggering a call is not an offence. It is best to stay on the line if you realise this has happened so you can explain to the operator. Otherwise there is a chance that services will be sent looking for you.

7.Can emergency telephone operators help by telling you what to do in an emergency? Yes. Operators can talk you through what to do and may encourage you to stay on the line for that reason. They won't delay sending the emergency service you require. Read the conversation of a caller being given instructions on how to carry out the Heimlich Manoeuvre, to clear an obstruction that is choking his wife. 999 call

Post-it! On a post-it-note, write down three things that you have learned about emergency phone calls. Pass these to your VMG teacher.