Fire Chief asks Hertfordshire residents to only call 999 in an emergency

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service's Chief Fire Officer is reminding residents that 999 needs to be used responsibly, and should only be dialled in an emergency.

CFO Darryl Keen is the National Fire Chiefs Council Strategic Lead of Operational Communications and chairs the committee that oversees the UK’s 999 system.

He said: “The UK’s 999 system is world class, but it is designed to ensure that calls where there is a significant risk to life or safety can reach the right emergency service as quickly as possible.

"The very challenging circumstances that have developed over recent months are undoubtedly concerning but, for most of us they are unlikely to be life-threatening.

"I must therefore ask that the public seek advice online or via non-emergency systems, rather than overload the 999 system, which may prevent someone who is genuinely at risk from getting the urgent help they need.”

For the vast majority of people, the symptoms of COVID-19 will be mild. If you have any symptoms, your first port of call should be the NHS 111 dedicated coronavirus website - where you can check symptoms and get advice from healthcare professionals.

If you are more concerned, or do not have internet access, you can dial 111 from any phone to speak to a healthcare professional.