As much as we don’t like to think about it, it’s a very real fact that accidents do happen. Knowledge saves lives, so take a moment to ensure that you know what number to phone for which emergency and what websites have good emergency resources.  Here is a definitive list of the most important of these:
 
1. South African Police Service – www.saps.org.za: the website for our “boys and gals in blue” where you can get lots of safety and crime information and the phone numbers of SAPS stations across the country.
 
2. The Flying Squad – 10111 (toll-free from landlines and payphones):  The “catch-all” SAPS emergency number to use in the event of any sort of crime, including theft, armed robbery, hi-jacking, rape, assault and unrest.  The good news is that, as of July 2007, a new satellite system will be in place, which will ensure that when a member of the public dials 10111, a call-centre operator will, using satellite tracking, be able to locate the nearest police or emergency vehicle, direct the vehicle to the emergency scene by the shortest route and digitally track the response of each police vehicle, as well as recording all communication between the caller, the 10111 centre operators and the police official responding to the call.
 
National cellphone services medical emergencies: 112 for all networks, (Vodacom, MTN and Cell-C).  Your call will be routed to your service provider to dispatch their emergency services.
 
3. Crime Stop – 08600 10111 (toll-free from landlines and payphones): The official SAPS line to report a suspected crime of any kind.
 
4. The website www.crimestop.co.za is a private initiative sponsored by the Notebook Company.  As 80% of stolen goods are sold back into normal channels as legitimate goods, this is the perfect way to check if that nifty laptop you’ve been offered at a brilliant price is a genuine offer, as well as to list any of your stolen goods or crimes/scams of any kind.

5.Crime Line “Tip Off”: www.crimeline.co.za is a SAP-endorsed Primedia Group Limited initiative launched in June 2007.  Members of the public can enter their tip-offs into a feedback form on their website or SMS tip-offs to 32211 (charged at R1 per SMS), making sure to include as much info as possible, such as names, addresses, descriptions, times, etc. Already the initiative has shown a huge success, with 29 arrests being made, as well as recovered stolen goods and confiscated drugs to the value of R1.2 million, in the period 6 to 12 July alone!
 
6. Ambulance and Fire Services: 10177 (toll-free from landlines and payphones).
            
7. Poisoning & Drug Overdose – 0800 33 3444 for general Information or Poison Information Centre on 0800 111 229.
 
8. SA Centre for Missing and Exploited Children – www.missingkids.co.za or their call centre – 0861 647746.
 
9. National Sea Rescue Institute: www.nsri.co.za or 082 911 (Netcare) for any marine-related emergency.
 
Be prepared by acquainting yourself with the various emergency services on offer and keeping pertinent numbers next to your telephone, as well as in your bag, on yourself and on your cell phone at all times.  Keep calm in an emergency situation as panic can confuse a situation and delay response.  And above all – keep safe!