Emergency helpline numbers are essential for everyone to know in case of any emergencies such as medical emergencies, criminal activity, calamity, or natural disasters. In case of such unfortunate emergencies, we should not be running around scouting for help or trying to figure out who to call for help. Even this small act of searching for a relevant number to call can lead to time lost which can sometimes be extremely critical in case of emergencies. Imagine a health emergency wherein every minute matters. In such scenarios, having immediate access to the ambulance number can be the difference between someone’s life and death. Similarly, imagine an unfortunate crime situation and again a few minutes here and there could prove to be extremely damaging.
The helpline numbers are provided to provide quick response during emergency times. It is important for all of us to not only know these numbers but also have them on speed dial on our phones so that we can call them immediately in case of any unfortunate emergency.
This article talks about important emergency helpline numbers that we all should know and in what situations they could be of help.
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National Emergency Number-112
There was a time when there were separate numbers for separate emergencies such as police, fire, ambulance, etc. However, looking at the importance of time in such emergencies the government of India, in May 2015, introduced a national emergency number (112) which is a pan India internationally recognised number which anyone can call for emergencies such as police, fire, ambulance, etc. This number is aided with the Advanced Mobile Location (AML) technology which automatically detects the location of the caller and other technologies to support computer-aided dispatch of field resources for response action. The national emergency number can be connected via a variety of mechanisms such as phone calls, SMS, e-mail, panic buttons and the ‘112 India’ mobile app. This makes it extremely easy for anyone to report an emergency with the communication medium of their choice whatever is feasible in the difficult situation.
This 112 number can be used in any state or region of India. Most states’ local languages are supported as well as English and Hindi are supported in most states. This emergency number is not just valid in India but in 28 other member countries, which are: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom and Sweden. If you are in any of these countries and find yourself facing an emergency you can call 112 for immediate response.
All smartphones sold after 2017 will have the feature wherein pressing the power button in succession 3 times will cause automatic dialling of the national emergency number 112. It is super critical to know these features in our phones so that we can make use of them if the situation demands.
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In case of specific emergencies, the following numbers are also active and provide callers with a quick emergency response:
Police-100
In case of any crime-related emergencies. The operator assigns the nearest police vehicle depending on the location of the caller and the situation at hand.
Fire-101
In case of an unfortunate fire situation, 101 can help you connect with the nearest fire situation which would jump to immediate response to arrest the spread and damage caused by fire.
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Ambulance-102
In case of an unfortunate medical emergency, dialling 102 connects you to the nearest available ambulance which springs into action to reach the patient in need of immediate medical attention. This number is connected to the ambulances under the ambit of National Ambulance Services (NAS). These ambulances are GPS fitted which helps in better allocation and routing of ambulances that are nearest to the location of the caller in an emergency.
Women Helpline-1091; Women Helpline – Domestic Abuse-181
There are special helpline numbers dedicated to women, in addition to the 112 and 101 numbers that women can use in case of police or any other emergencies. In addition to these, there are also statewide women helpline numbers that can be used to report women in distress. The 181 number is a 100% central government-funded initiative under the Nirbhaya Fund.
The National Commission for Women has put in place various other helpline numbers to help women in case of distress when in need of legal aid, or case counselling for reproductive issues. These detailed numbers can be found here: http://www.ncw.nic.in/helplines
Child Helpline Number: 1098
This is a 24×7 toll-free emergency call service for children in distress and in need of aid and assistance. This number not only responds to child-related emergencies but also connects them to further child care and assistance services for their long-term rehabilitation. This is a project initiated by The Ministry of Woman and Child Development, Government of India (GOI). There are further support centres for child support established in each state. The details can be found here: https://www.childlineindia.org/.
In addition to these, various other helpline numbers are available for anyone to call in case of a specific emergency.
- Air Ambulance-9540161344
- AIDS Helpline-1097
- Anti-Poison New Delhi -1066 or 011-1066
- Disaster Management N.D.M.A 011-26701728-1078
- EARTHQUAKE / FLOOD / DISASTER N.D.R.F: 011-24363260
- Deputy Commissioner Of Police – Missing Child And Women: 1094
- Railway Enquiry: 139
- Senior Citizen Helpline: 1091/ 1291
- Medical Helpline in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Assam, Meghalaya, MP, and UP- 108
- Railway Accident Emergency Service:1072
- Road Accident Emergency Service:1073
- Road Accident Emergency Service On National Highway For Private Operators:1033
- ORBO Centre, AIIMS (For Donation Of Organ) Delhi: 1060
- Call Centre: 1551
- Relief Commissioner For Natural Calamities: 1070
- Central Vigilance Commission: 1964
- Tourist Helpline: 1363 or 1800111363
- LPG Leak Helpline: 1906
