In an emergency, or situation where you need immediate help, such as a house fire or car accident, call 999 to contact:
- Police
- Fire and Rescue Service
- Ambulance
- Coastguard
Calls are free. If you are unsure which service to call, ask for Police when your call is answered by the Operator.
Police
The Police Force covering the Borders is Lothian & Borders Police. All Scottish Police Forces have access to translators and interpreters every day of the year, 24 hours per day and will be able to help you if your English is not fluent.
You may need to call the Police if you have been the victim of a crime, or involved in an accident, but if the situation is not an emergency, do not call 999. You should contact your local Police Station for help and advice on all criminal matters:
Hawick (Police Division Headquarters)
Tel: 01450 375051
Coldstream
Tel: 01890 882402
Duns
Tel: 01361 882222
Eyemouth
Tel: 01890 750217
Galashiels
Tel: 01896 752222
Jedburgh
Tel: 01835 862264
Kelso
Tel: 01573 223434
Lauder
Tel: 01578 722222
Melrose
Tel: 01896 822602
Peebles
Tel: 01721 720637
Selkirk
Tel: 01750 721701
Not all Police Stations are open 24 hours per day, and if your local Station is closed, you should contact Division Headquarters in Hawick 01450 375051.
If you have been the victim of a crime or criminal assault, you should not be afraid to report this to the Police. If you do not wish to contact the Police, you can report the matter at Scottish Borders Council Contact Centres at:
Duns, Newtown Street
01361 882600
Galashiels, Paton Street
01896 662719
Hawick, High Street
01450 364729
Peebles, Rosetta Road
01721 726322
These centres are recognised as Remote Reporting Sites, where details will be recorded by trained staff, and then passed to the Police for further enquiry where necessary. It is wiser for you to do this than to take the law into your own hands where you could end up in serious trouble. The Police have a duty to follow up all complaints.
Fire Service
Lothian & Borders Fire and Rescue Service covers the Borders, providing emergency fire and rescue services 24 hours a day, every day, responding to 999 calls that threaten life caused by fire, road accidents and other emergencies.
When a fire occurs, you should:
- GET OUT of the building as quickly as possible
- STAY OUT of the building
- CALL 999 and ask for the Fire Service
The Fire Service also provide preventive measures and advice to reduce the risk of fire occurring in the home and work environments. They will fit free smoke alarms in your home and give free advice on fire safety. Your chances of surviving a fire in your home or workplace could depend on how well you are prepared.
Ambulance
The Ambulance Service responds to 999 calls involving medical emergencies when urgent medical treatment is required.
Call 999, staying as calm as you can. The operator will ask you where the ambulance needs to come to. You need to give the street address if the emergency is at home, or as accurate a location as you can if the emergency is a road accident in the countryside. The Ambulance will be sent immediately you have done this. It is important YOU DO NOT END THE CALL, as the operator will need to ask you questions about the casualty: age, sex, if they are breathing, if they are conscious, if they are bleeding seriously or if they have had continuous chest pain for more than 15 minutes. DO NOT END THE CALL unless you are told to do so.
If you think someone is having a heart attack, call 999 immediately, as minutes saved could save lives.
Coastguard
HM Coastguard Service will respond to 999 calls resulting from any potentially life threatening situation at sea or on the coastline. As with the other Emergency Services, it is important that you stay calm and follow any instructions you may be given until help arrives.
NHS 24 Emergency Medical Helpline
NHS 24 is a 24 hour telephone helpline provided to allow access to medical advice when your local health centre is closed. You will speak to a nurse advisor who will make an assessment of your condition and recommend a course of action. This may involve arranging for a doctor or nurse to visit you at home, or for an ambulance. Call 08454 242424 (available in 120 languages), or Text Phone on 18001 08454 242424 or visit the NHS 24 website on www.nhs24.com.
Scottish Borders Council Social Work Services
If you require urgent help from Social Work Services at weekends, or after normal working hours, telephone 01896 752111.