Editing Emergency service (section)

{{Short description|Organizations that ensure public safety and health by addressing different emergencies}}
[[File:Emergency sevices attending the accident - Flickr - Highway Patrol Images.jpg|thumb|Police, fire, and medical services at the scene of a [[traffic collision]] in [[New South Wales]], [[Australia]]]]
'''Emergency services''' and '''rescue services'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/rescue-services|title=Rescue services definition and meaning - Collins English Dictionary|author=|date=|website=www.collinsdictionary.com|accessdate=19 March 2018|archive-date=7 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207005004/https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/rescue-services|url-status=live}}</ref> are organizations that ensure [[Public security|public safety]], [[Public security|security]], and [[health]] by addressing and resolving different [[emergency|emergencies]]. Some of these agencies exist solely for addressing certain types of emergencies, while others deal with ad hoc emergencies as part of their normal responsibilities. Many of these agencies engage in community awareness and prevention programs to help the public avoid, detect, and report emergencies effectively. Emergency services are often considered [[first responder]]s, and typically have dedicated [[emergency vehicle]]s.

Emergency services have one or more dedicated [[emergency telephone number]]s reserved for critical emergency calls. In many countries, one number is used for all of the emergency services (e.g. [[9-1-1|911]] in many parts of the [[Americas]], [[999 (emergency telephone number)|999]] in the [[United Kingdom]], [[112 (emergency telephone number)|112]] in [[continental Europe]], [[000 (emergency telephone number)|000]] in [[Australia]]). In some countries, each emergency service has its own emergency number (e.g. 110 for police, 118 for coast guard, 119 for fire and medical in [[Japan]]; 110 for police, 119 for fire, 120 for medical in [[China]]). Calls made to emergency services to report emergencies are called [[Call for service|calls for service]].

The availability of emergency services depends very heavily on location, and may in some cases also rely on the recipient giving payment or holding suitable insurance or other surety for receiving the service.