Save a number, save a life

NGN and West Yorkshire Police have teamed up for Gas Safety Week to promote the National Gas Emergency Service phone number. They’re urging people to call 0800 111 999 if they smell gas, and NOT 999.

West Yorkshire Police receives more than 1.2 million calls a year, 850,000 of which are non-emergency calls, and some of which are from callers reporting a gas escape.

“Saving time in a gas emergency is essential,” says Ian Waddle, NGN’s head of Customer Operations Support. “Knowing the right number to call, and keeping that number saved into your phone could help to save lives. The line is in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week and our engineers will be there within the hour.”

Tom Donohoe, senior contact manager for West Yorkshire Police, says: “Our teams do their utmost to answer calls as quickly as possible, both 999 and 101. Calls that are not a police matter can slow this process down significantly.

“We would ask anyone needing to report a gas escape to recognise that there is a more appropriate number to use. Doing this will ensure calls of a police nature are answered quickly and efficiently.

“In a police emergency situation, every second counts.”