Emergencies

Emergency planning

Preston is a safe place to live, work and study. However, it is important to recognise emergencies can occur at any time. The key to cope and sort these emergencies is to be ready for them so you know what to do and who to contact if an emergency occurs.

In the case of an emergency once it has been reported the Police will initiate the emergency response arrangements. Then other non emergency agencies including the council will be contacted if they are required.

In the case of an evacuation, the council has identified a number of buildings that can be used as rest centres for people who may have nowhere else to go. We carry out regular exercises to ensure that our staff working at these centres are fully trained and that the centres themselves can be brought into use quickly and easily.

You can also download our  Preparing for emergencies in Lancashire (PDF) [4MB] booklet.  

Emergency contacts

If something is an emergency and requires an immediate response then contact the emergency services on 999.

Emergency services

999 - is the number to contact if you require an immediate response.

Preston emergency contacts

The following number are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week, you can also follow them on twitter for updates.

• Lancashire Police 
  • Tel: 101 - directed straight to your local police communications room
  • Twitter - LancsPolice
• Home Office - MI5 Security Service
  • Tel: 0800 789 321
  • Twitter - UKHomeOffice
• Lancashire Fire and Rescue 
  • Tel: 01772 862545
  • Twitter - LancashireFRS
• NHS - When to use NHS 111
  • Tel: 111
  • Twitter - NHS111
• Royal Preston Hospital
  • Tel: 01772 716565
  • Twitter - LancsHospitals
• Chorley and District Hospital
  • Tel: 01257 261222
  • Twitter - LancsHospitals
• United Utilities - Water for the North West 
  • Tel: 0845 746 2200 / 01925 714810 (or textphone 0808 1430295)
  • Twitter - UnitedUtilities
• United Utilities - Electricity North West
  • Tel: 0800 195 4141 (or textphone 0800 458 9767)
  • Twitter - UnitedUtilities
• National Grid - Gas Transmission 
  • Tel: 0800 111999
  • Twitter - NationalGridUK
• GOV.UK - Environment Agency
  • Tel: 0800 807 060
  • Twitter - EnvAgencyNW
• Floodline
  • Tel: 0845 988 1188 (type talk 0845 602 6340)
• Health and Safety executive
  • Tel: 01772 836200
• Remember to tune into BBC Radio - Lancashire 103.9, 15.5, 104.5 FM
  • Twitter - BBCLancashire
• Check the GOV.UK - Local Resilience Forums and the GOV.UK - National Security and Intelligence for more advice on what to do in an emergency
• The Met Office provide regular updated on weather and climate news

The councils emergency contact details

The out of hours service number is 01772 906916.

Calls to this number received from the public will be logged but will not necessarily initiate an emergency response.

This number should only be used to log council based emergencies, for example:

• Environmental health issues
• Dangerous buildings
• Preston City Council property issues