How to Call 112, 101 or 108 in an Emergency: What to Say

The guide

AI-generated editorial illustration of a hand holding a phone in a pre-dawn street with an ambulance and a fire engine arriving behind. Not a photograph of any real incident.

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers

How should I call 112, 101 or 108 in an emergency?

Dial 112 (or 101 for fire, 108 for an ambulance). Identify yourself, give the exact location with a clear landmark, state the type of emergency, mention how many people are hurt or trapped, and stay on the line until the operator repeats the details.

What mistakes should I avoid when calling emergency services?

Do not scream without giving a location, do not hang up too early, and do not use landmarks outsiders will not understand, such as a big tree.

Why is giving an exact location so important on an emergency call?

Vague directions waste time. If the caller cannot explain where they are, responders lose time searching even when they are close by.

How can I prepare to make an emergency call today?

Save 112 on speed dial, along with 101 (fire), 108 (ambulance) and your local police station, and run a 5-minute roleplay drill at home, school or the office to practise giving clear details.

Full article

Why the words you use matter
In India, most bystanders just shout “Fire! Jaldi aao!” and give no details. Dial 112, India’s single emergency number for police, fire and medical help, or call fire (101) or an ambulance (108) directly. Whichever number you use, the operator can send help only as fast as they understand where it is needed. They handle many calls at once, so a clear caller saves time.

What to say, step by step

Say who you are. “My name is Ramesh, I’m calling from X number.”
Give the exact location. “Shanti Apartments, B-Wing, 14 Station Road, opposite the post office.” (example address)
Say what has happened. Fire, road accident or a medical emergency.
Say who is hurt or trapped. “Three people are trapped on the second floor, one of them elderly.”
Stay on the line. Do not hang up until the operator has repeated the details back to you.

The five steps on one picture

Infographic: how to call for help in India. Numbers 112 for all emergencies, 101 for fire and 108 for ambulance, and five steps: say who you are, give the exact location, say what happened, say how many are hurt, and stay on the line.

Mistakes that cost minutes
Screaming for help without saying where you are leaves the operator with nothing to act on. Hanging up too early cuts off details they still need. And a landmark only locals know, like “near the big tree”, means nothing to an outsider.

Where to practise this

In schools, children should learn to call 112 and describe the emergency in one sentence.
RWAs & housing societies should display helpline numbers clearly at gates and lifts.
In factories, workers should be trained to give precise addresses during drills.

What you can do today
Save 112 in speed dial, along with fire (101), ambulance (108) and your local police station. Then do a 5-minute roleplay drill in your office or school, with one person playing the operator.

One more tool, if you cannot explain where you are. The team behind HowToSurvive.in also builds Bharat101, an independent safety app (not a government service). Its hold-to-send SOS shares your live location with your emergency contacts, and you can report a fire or medical emergency from the app. It is on Google Play. Even then, call 112 or 101 first.

When the address is missing
If a caller cannot say where they are, even a nearby ambulance can lose minutes searching. Know your full address, and one landmark an outsider would recognise.

The full list of numbers worth saving is in our guide to emergency numbers in India.

Before you sleep tonight
Write your full address and one clear landmark on a card and stick it by the front door. Anyone at home can then read it out to the operator.

Key risks

What needs attention

112 is India's single number for police, fire and medical help; 101 and 108 still work directly
The operator can send help only as fast as they understand where it is needed
Shouting 'Fire! Jaldi aao!' without an address wastes the first minutes
Landmarks only locals know, like 'near the big tree', do not help an outside crew
Hanging up early cuts off details the operator still needs
People who have practised a call once give clearer details under stress

Prevention checklist

Controls that reduce risk

Display 112, 101 and 108 and the full address at society gates, in lifts and at reception
Teach children to call 112 and say what happened in one sentence
Include a practice emergency call in every office and factory drill
Write down your full address with a landmark an outsider would know
Save the local police station number alongside 112

Mistakes to avoid

Common unsafe practices

Screaming for help without giving the location
Hanging up before the operator repeats the details back
Giving landmarks an outsider will not recognise
Not saying how many people are hurt or trapped
Not knowing your own full address
Assuming someone else has already called

Watch & learn

Evidence, Cases & Next Steps

Verified facts

What the evidence supports

Pan-India emergency number | 112
Portable extinguisher decision | Small incipient fire, trained user and clear exit only
Escape routes | Keep unobstructed and available
Lift use during ordinary building fire | Do not use unless designed and officially directed
Evidence boundary | NBC is a model code; adopted local rules and approvals govern

Do This Today

Immediate prevention actions

Save 112, 101 and 108 on speed dial on every family phone
Write your full address and one clear landmark on a card by the door
Do a two-minute practice call with your family or colleagues
Ask your society to put the numbers and address at the gate

If danger develops

Emergency survival steps

Get yourself to safety first, then call
Dial 112, or 101 for fire or 108 for an ambulance
Give your name, the exact address and a landmark an outsider will know
Say what the emergency is and how many people are hurt or trapped
Stay on the line until the operator repeats the details back
Keep your phone free and send someone to the road to guide the crew in

What the data does not show

Limitations

Response times and how 112 calls are routed differ between States and districts. Older numbers like 101 and 108 still work directly in most places, but check what works in your area. The sample address in the article is an example, not a real place. Existing article images are kept as editorial assets; their original reuse rights and captions still need confirmation.

Sources and further reading