Who you gonna call?
It’s been customary for years to only think of the police's 10111 emergency number when there's trouble.
In a bid to speed up response times from City of Johannesburg Emergency Services (EMS) units, the public information officer for Region C, Gavin Wilson, reminded the public about the need to use the correct emergency contact numbers.
It’s been customary for years to only think of the police’s 10111 emergency number when you’re in trouble.
Although this method works, as the police control room redirects the call to the relevant unit, e.g. the fire department in case of a fire, the process may take several minutes according to Gavin, and this may lead to delays. In addition residents may criticise the services for not responding immediately to a situation.
During an interview with the Northsider, Gavin encouraged residents to also memorise the EMS numbers or paste them on their refrigerators to be visible for everyone in their homes.
“It’s important to know 10111, but the public needs to know the emergency numbers for fire and medical purposes as well,” he said.
“To request an ambulance or fire engine, you can call 10177 (from any phone) or 122 (from a cellphone only). To get in touch with the Johannesburg Metro Police Department, call 011 375 5911,” he concluded.
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