The 1722 number for non-emergency fire brigade calls has been activated by the Home Affairs Ministry after the Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI) issued a severe weather warning. The RMI has also extended its slippery conditions alert for two Walloon provinces until 10:00 on Wednesday.
The aim of 1722 is to prevent emergency numbers from being swamped by calls for non-emergency interventions. In the event of storm or water damage requiring fire brigade assistance, people should call this number. If a life is in danger, call 112.
The Home Affairs Ministry also recommends using the electronic hotline 1722.be. This is "the most direct way of requesting assistance from the fire brigade in situations where no life is in danger."
The 112 emergency centres and the fire brigade always give priority to people whose lives are potentially in danger. "They analyse situations on a case-by-case basis and determine who needs to be rescued first. During a storm or flood, they have to deal with many requests at once," the Ministry stressed. "Be patient and don't call to find out when help will arrive."
The 1722 number is activated as a precautionary measure when a storm or heavy rain is forecast.
Code yellow for slippery conditions
The RMI initially issued a yellow alert for slippery conditions from 16:00 on Monday until 12:00 on Tuesday for these two provinces. On Tuesday, the Institute launched a new alert starting at 11:00 on Tuesday, lasting until 10:00 on Wednesday.
Wintry weather, such as drizzle, frost and freezing fog in the High Ardennes, may continue to cause slippery conditions in the provinces of Liège and Luxembourg. On Wednesday morning, there is also a risk of ice patches forming, especially in wind-sheltered areas.
Code yellow has also been issued for strong winds at the Belgian coast.
