Using a whistle to signal an emergency and indicate where you are

• 6 blasts for help, wait one minute for a reply.
  (If it is after dark you could also use 6 flashes of a torch.)
• 3 blasts for reply.
• Repeat the procedure as required until your rescuers are within sight

Using your phone to call Emergency Services

Even with poor phone signal from your own network, a 999 phone call could get through, because it will try to connect to any available network. Make sure you have all the necessary information to hand:

o   Area you are in

o   Terrain description

o   Grid Reference + What3Words location if you have it

o   Casualty’s name, gender, age

o   Nature of injuries or incident

o   Any known medical conditions

o   Number of people in the party

o   Colour of your clothing

• In mountainous areas or countryside areas with very limited access, phone 999, ask for the Police, then for Mountain Rescue.
• In lowland area, without good access to a road or lane, phone 999, ask for the Police, then for Lowland Rescue.
• If you are close to a road and think the ambulance could easily reach you, phone 999 and ask for the Ambulance service.

Using the Emergency SMS Text Service

If you have no or little phone signal, you can text 999, but you must register your mobile for this in advance, at home or anywhere with a good signal, before you go on your walk.  You will need to register again if you change your mobile number.

To register your mobile

• Text the word 'register' to 999.
• You will get an automatic text reply. 
• Read the message and then reply by texting ‘yes’.
• You will then get a text telling you that your mobile is now registered - or if there's been a problem (in which case contact your service provider to make sure they support the emergency SMS service)

To check whether you are registered, text 'register' to 999 again, and you'll get a message telling you if it is registered or not. Do not text anything else – there is no need to make a test call.  You are now set up.

To send an emergency SMS

• Address your text to 999
• Request the emergency service required (as above for phone calls)
• Briefly state the problem
• Give location information: Grid Reference/What3Words, Area/named landmark feature
• The emergency service will reply to you either asking for more information or telling you that help is on the way

Make sure 999 gets the Message

• Don't assume that your message has been delivered until you get a reply. A text delivery report doesn't mean your message has been received by the emergency service.
• It will usually take about 2 minutes before you get a reply.
• If you don’t get a reply within 3 minutes, try again or find other ways of getting help. You could ask members of the group to seek help.  Only split the group if absolutely necessary and work together in groups of 3 where possible. 

Only use the SMS when you have no other option - because it will take longer than other methods such as calling 999. However, if you can’t make the call, then the text service is a valuable alternative.