How to make an emergency call

[likeitorlumpit]

Thanks for this heads up- hope I never need it.

Just reading about 112- it has been around years since the days of rotary dial phones. It meant a lock could be put on 3 and the emergency number could still be dialled.

If I need it I'm dialling 999, 911, 112- the whole shabang

[skyhuck]

Thanks for this heads up- hope I never need it.

Just reading about 112- it has been around years since the days of rotary dial phones. It meant a lock could be put on 3 and the emergency number could still be dialled.

If I need it I'm dialling 999, 911, 112- the whole shabang

 

Ain't it weird that back when they came up with 999 it was the slowest possible you could dial

[nepia]

That does not really help people today.

 

I can have a number advertised in the yellow pages that not mine, but when they ring it it goes to my phone.

 

Is this really not possible for 999 and 112???

 

PS I think its 911 in the US, which is part of the world.

 

 

999, 112, 911 will all get you to an operator in this country.

[skyhuck]

999, 112, 911 will all get you to an operator in this country.

 

I know, but why make one superior???

 

Would it not be better if they all went though to 112 with its supposed advantages??

[morten]

Its worth knowing but make sure you register

 

 

Even though 112 is the universal emergency service number in 70 countries, I believe the text message registration (sending "REGISTER" to 112), only works in few countries, possibly UK-only. At least it does not work in Denmark/Sweden, failing with a "Not delivered" message.

 

So don't count on the service being available in countries where you have not registered.

[morten]

Ain't it weird that back when they came up with 999 it was the slowest possible you could dial

 

In the good'ol days, Denmark used 000 for emergency services. Even slower than 999 on the old rotary dial phones.

 

I believe 999/000 was used to minmise the risk of accidentially calling emergency services when a faulty connection/wire caused short disconnects (which is the way the old rotary dial phone performed the dialling). See Rotary dial - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for details.

 

I am happy that the 112 code has been universally adopted by that many countries. Saves lives. Oh, and the reason for the number not being, say 111, is that on pushbutton phones, that would increase the risk of accidentally dialing a number (pressing the same number repeatedly).

Edited March 10, 2013 by morten

[skyhuck]

In the good'ol days, Denmark used 000 for emergency services. Even slower than 999 on the old rotary dial phones.

 

I believe 999/000 was used to minmise the risk of accidentially calling emergency services when a faulty connection/wire caused short disconnects (which is the way the old rotary dial phone performed the dialling). See Rotary dial - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for details.

 

interesting

[likeitorlumpit]

Ain't it weird that back when they came up with 999 it was the slowest possible you could dial

 

Thats exactly what I thought.

[nepia]

Would it not be better if they all went though to 112 with its supposed advantages??

 

Well they do all divert to the same place!

 

But if you're asking 'wouldn't it be better just to use 112?'... one day, one day...

[morten]

I don't think so. The 112 service knows where you are by measuring your signal between the telephone masts.

 

When you own a Tomtom car navigation you should use that one too. When you press their emergency button you get the exact location or even the longitude and latitude numbers.

 

True. Emergency services get an approximate location of a cellphone by signal strength triangulation from the nearby transmission masts. In rural areas where only one mast has contact, this triangulation doesn't work (obviously) and location can only be determined to within a few miles from the mast serving the call.