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Information for those who are Deaf, deafened or with hearing loss

We want to make information accessible to everyone

Link to the 999 BSL Emergency Video Relay Service

999 BSL app

999 BSL is the name of the UK’s first ever Emergency Video Relay Service in British Sign Language (BSL).


emergencySMS service

The emergencySMS service lets deaf, deafened, hard of hearing and speech-impaired people in the UK send an SMS text message to the UK 999 service where it will be passed to the police, ambulance, fire rescue, or coastguard.

By sending an SMS message to 999 you can call for help and the emergency services will be able to reply to you.

You will need to register your mobile phone before using the emergencySMS service.

999 calls to the fire service will come into our Sussex Control Centre via a text relay system. 

A dedicated BT operator will then speak to one of our operators and pass on the details of the 999 call. We will then ask the appropriate questions to the BT operator who will type talk this message back to you and then relay your responses back to us. 

This service was developed by Action on Hearing Loss, BT, Cable & Wireless, the Department of Communities and Local Government, OFCOM, the UK emergency services and all mobile network operators.

Alternative Service

You can also register on the Next Generation Text Service (NGT) website to contact 999


Minicom

We have a MiniComm in our Community Safety team. You can dial this in office hours (Monday to Thursday 8.30am-5pm and Fridays 8.30am-4.30pm excluding Bank Holidays).

  • The Mini Comm number is: 01323 462 003  

Fire Safety Videos

We have a video about fire safety in the home which has a British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation.  

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service have a number of Safety Advice Videos in BSL


Hearing loss and smoke alarms

It is vital that people who are deaf or hard of hearing have the right smoke alarms in their home to protect them and give them that valuable time to escape from a house fire. Find out more.


BSL interpreter

When visiting you or meeting face to face, we can provide a BSL interpreter if you do not have someone who is able to sign for you. We would need at least two weeks’ notice to arrange this.


Contact us

Our contact us page has a form by which you can send us an enquiry.

You may also wish to contact us via social media