Absences due to illness decreased and job satisfaction rose in 2023
The Emergency Response Centre Agency’s financial statements for 2023 are complete. Last year, the number of employee absences due to illness fell, new ERC operators were recruited, and employee satisfaction increased.
eCall offers safety in situations where the driver cannot call for help
There has recently been discussion in the news about automatic emergency call systems in vehicles. The Europe-wide eCall connects directly to the nearest emergency response centre and sends information directly to the centre's information system.
The missing children hotline improves safety across the EU
In the event that an underage child becomes missing, it is important to inform the responsible authorities quickly. For this purpose, assistance is available from a common European hotline. In Finland, the hotline can be used for sharing tips about missing children. In emergencies, the number to call is 112.
Real-time text for emergency services will be introduced in 2025
Emergency calls using real-time text (RTT) will be made available by the end of 2025. The new option for emergency calls will especially help people with hearing or speech impairments. The Emergency Response Centre Administration has already taken the first steps in the development of RTT.
Emergency response centre operator awarded for outstanding performance
The European Emergency Number Association EENA awarded a Finnish emergency response centre operator for outstanding work in assisting a person that had fallen through the ice in the wilderness. Finland’s emergency response centres are built around the professionalism of ERC operators and cooperation between authorities, and the case demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach.
112 Day celebrated virtually on 11 February
The EU-wide Emergency Number Day will be celebrated on 11 February 2021. This year, the campaign will be organised virtually under the theme “Safety belongs to all of us”.
According to Communications Specialist Katri Kalliomäki from the Emergency Response Centre Agency, the purpose of 112 Day is to promote citizens’ safety awareness and a positive attitude. 112 Day also reminds us of the European emergency number 112 and of what to do in an emergency.
- On the national 112 Day, various safety actors provide citizens with information on everyday safety, risk prevention and proper conduct in an emergency. The purpose of this year’s theme is to emphasise equality, as all people should have the right to security, regardless of matters such as their social status, language, limitations, origin or place of residence. It takes all of us to create security.
The purpose of this year’s theme is to emphasise equality, as all people should have the right to security, regardless of matters such as their social status, language, limitations, origin or place of residence. It takes all of us to create security.
112 Day events have been held annually all around Finland but, due to the pandemic, the campaign is now being held virtually for the first time. 112 Day is celebrated on 11 February, and the campaign runs for the whole week.
- “On 112 Day, anyone — a private individual, school, workplace, hobby group or association — can share valuable safety information to celebrate 112 Day. In addition, we encourage everyone to participate in the Thank You challenge launched by the European Emergency Number Association, in which anyone can thank safety actors by using the hashtag #thankyouchain. The chain of helping includes thousands of people who do valuable work for safety. We want to challenge you to thank the chain of helping,” Kalliomäki says.
How to participate in the virtual 112 Day
• Share security information in different channels with the hashtags #112paiva #112dagen #112day
• Use the social media images available at 112-paiva.fi
• Take part in the Thank You challenge and thank your helpers in social media.
Public safety announcement test on 112 Day
The official public safety announcement transmission system will be tested again on 11 February 2021 at 11:20 a.m. During the test, the public safety announcements will be visible on TV and on page 112 of Teletext. The public safety announcement system will also be tested on radio, as usual.
The Emergency Response Centre Agency participates in the testing by transmitting the public safety announcements on the 112 Suomi app and publishing them on the Emergency Response Centre Agency’s 112.fi website and Facebook and Twitter accounts.
The test is carried out by the Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE, Digita Oy and the Emergency Response Centre Agency.
112 Day
• The 112 Day has already formed into a tradition, and has been celebrated in Finland since 1997.
• The campaign’s day annually is 11 February, and the campaigns lasts a week.
• In 2008, Europe celebrated its first shared 112 Day.
• Minister of the Interior Maria Ohisalo is a patron of the campaign.
• Anyone — a private individual, organisation, hobby group or association — can share valuable safety information during the campaign week.