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 Suomi mobile application as an official channel for public warnings
The 112 Suomi mobile application contains security services for citizens. As of the beginning of 2021, the application has been one the statutory channels for public warnings. The Emergency Response Centre Agency, the Ministry of the Interior and the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency encourage citizens to download the 112 Suomi application in the event of different emergency and problem situations.
112 Suomi is a mobile application produced by the Emergency Response Centre Agency and developed in cooperation with various safety actors. Thanks to the large number of users, the app has developed into an outstanding toolbox for citizens' security services.
– It is important that people can easily find the service they need when the need for help strikes. The 112 Suomi mobile application developed by the Emergency Response Centre Agency has gradually grown into a safety service package. We are pleased that the range of services has been actively developed and in cooperation with different safety actors, and we have also been able to meet the needs of our citizens. The development will continue, promises Marko Nieminen, Head of Operational Department at the Emergency Response Centre Agency.
At the beginning of the year 2021, the 112 Suomi mobile application is one of the statutory channels for public warnings. The Alerts feature strengthens the role of the application as a central platform for public services.
– The application allows citizens to receive public warnings based on location information on their own phone. In addition to public warnings, other public notifications are also transmitted from the application, which are used in situations where there is a need to inform or instruct the population, but the threshold for public warnings is not exceeded. The public notifications feature was introduced at the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, when a channel was needed to inform the population quickly.
According to Nieminen, the number of users is already an indication that people want security services closer to themselves.
– The application now has over 1.8 million active users and we hope that more people will remember to use the app when needed. We encourage everyone to download the app to their phone and use it in case of emergencies and problems.
Services in the application:
- Emergency number 112 (location information is transmitted)
- Location-based safety alerts, road traffic notifications and other public notifications
- Marine rescue service emergency number (location information is transmitted)
- Coronavirus symptom check-up
- Nearest defibrillator
- Instructions for boaters in case of an emergencies and accidents
- Identifying symptoms of cerebrovascular disorder
- 24/7 service
- Police Customer Service
- Crisis helpline
- Poison Information Centre
- Helpline for children and young people
- Nollalinja domestic violence helpline
- On-call consular service of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs
- Road User’s Hotline (location information is transmitted)
- Public Service Info
- Missing Child Hotline
Take a safety action and download the 112 Suomi mobile application. Help is only one click away.