Using 112 instead of 999 to make an emergency mobile phone call.

[Commando]

Just found out some interesting facts about using 112 instead of 999 to dial emergency services. Basically 112 allows you to use any network from your phone and will even override a busy network! Good to know when the blood hits the fan!!

Short video to explain, well worth a watch..

[mad matty]

Yeah great system....The guy on our first aid course told us about it a couple of years ago.

[Commando]

This is the sort of public information that should be available to all, thought the BBC was supposed to pass this sort of thing on, thats one of the excuses they give when challenged about the licence fee!

[AcaciaRental]

Isn't 112 the one you can ring from any European country and it will ring the local emergency services for that country? Pretty handy!

[chrisj]

999 does all the same things except for being able to call it in any country. You can also register with them to be able to send text messages if you have poor phone signal.

[10 Bears]

it will ring the local emergency services

 

Yep, that's my understanding too i.e. local response rather than a national call centre.

 

My wife is a paramedic, and she explains the benefit of this is that the national call centre will only have access to a national map on screen and when advising the road crew - they wont have any insight to the local area.

 

Using 112, if you get through to a geographically local service, the call handler are often better informed with local knowledge to help the road crew get to you quicker should the sat nav send them all round the houses.

 

It certainly happens - one evening on their way to an emergency call, both the sat nav and national call centre instructed my wife's bus to go down a particular lane with no street lights. It was only when they slammed on the brakes before crashing into the river that they found out it wasn't the best route!

 

Local knowledge could get help to you much quicker when you need it!