Few aware of 112 emergency service in EU

ONLY one in four people know of the 112 emergency number that people can use to summon help in an emergency in any country in Europe except Bulgaria, and in their own language, according to the latest research.

Irish people are used to dialling 999 if they need to contact the gardaí or phone for an ambulance.

But if you are abroad, 999 will not necessarily work as countries still have different emergency numbers despite 17 years of trying to promote the 112 service.

The service is to be extended so that callers will be put through to someone who speaks their language and can contact the relevant service in whatever country they are in.

Cork MEP Kathy Synnott has been working to promote 112 for some time and said it was sad that so few Irish people knew about it.

“Irish people travel a lot now and research shows that many accidents happen when people are abroad. But there is no point in dialling 999 when you need help in another EU country. We need to all remember and use the 112 number, which is compatible with all phone systems,” she said.

Similarly, when people visit Ireland they should be aware they can dial 112 and be put through to someone who can help them.

“For example, a Hungarian tourist who breaks his leg walking in west Cork can free-phone 112, speak to someone in Hungarian who will call through 999 to reach Bandon Garda Station and translate for the on-duty garda,” she explained.

She would like to see the service extended so that translation would be available over the phone to people when they get to hospital, for instance.

Ms Synnott believes that if the 112 service was better advertised it could also be used by, for instance, young women who have been trafficked and forced into prostitution.

Fianna Fáil MEP Brian Crowley said it was essential for people’s safety that they were aware of the 112 service and that the number could be dialled free from both mobile and fixed lines.

“We need a widespread campaign throughout the EU to highlight this emergency number,” he said.

Figures show only 22% of Europeans spontaneously knew the 112 number, slightly less than the 27% in Ireland. This was a drop from the 44% who said they were aware of it in a survey three years ago.