Emergency as SMSmessages to 112

A service for people with impaired hearing or speech

Speech-disabled and hearing-impaired people may contact the emergency response centre by sending a text message to 112 in the event of an emergency. The message cannot contain images, video or emojis/symbols. Emergency text messages are SMS messages only.

If you do not have problems with your hearing or producing speech, always make an emergency call by telephone. This will ensure that people who cannot make phone calls have access to assistance in the event of an emergency. Sending text messages between the operator and the person in need during an emergency is slower than talking on the phone. 

How to report an emergency via text message

Include as much information as possible in the first text message to allow for the ERC operator to asses your need for assistance. The ERC operator will ask for further information on the situation, meaning that asking for help via text message always requires sending several messages. 

The ERC operator may ask you via text if you are able to speak or whether there is someone at the scene that is able to speak. This is done to provide assistance more quickly and to remove people who could make an emergency call by phone from the SMS service.

Please make sure that the first text message includes

  1. the municipality and address
  2. what has happened
  3. additional information about the situation
  4. your name.

Example emergency text message
Satakunnankatu 3, Pori. A passenger car has hit a cyclist on a pedestrian crossing. The cyclist is conscious, but they are in severe pain and bruised. Maija Virtanen. 

Do not contact the emergency number in vain

Only contact the emergency number 112 in emergencies when you need to alert prehospital medical care, the police, rescue services or social and crisis services urgently.

Please do not send tips on incidents or individuals to the emergency number. Please do not test the functionality of the SMS service either. Unnecessary text messages can cause delays in responding to emergencies and burden the emergency response service.

FAQ

Before the 112 emergency SMS service, people with impaired hearing and speech could use regional GSM numbers to contact the emergency response centre. The regional numbers were discontinued on 1 August 2025, and all emergency calls are currently made to the emergency number 112.

You cannot send images or emojis to the emergency number. 

Sending the 112 emergency SMS to 112 is free of charge.

The RTT (real-time text) service based on the European Accessibility Act enables you to write text in real time during an emergency call. In the 112 RTT service, text is displayed one letter at a time between the emergency response centre and the person in need. Sounds are also transmitted to the recipient of an RTT call. The Emergency Response Centre Agency aims to introduce the service in 2027.

No, it cannot. 

Running out of balance on prepaid phones or reaching the maximum limit of the operator’s text message plan does not prevent sending the 112 emergency SMS.

The 112 emergency SMS cannot be sent from a phone without a SIM card.

Yes, the sender of the 112 emergency SMS can be located in the same way as an emergency caller.

The 112 emergency SMS cannot be prioritized in operators' communication networks in the same way as emergency calls. Therefore, delays may occur in the transmission of text messages, and their quick delivery to the emergency services cannot be guaranteed. Delays may occur, for example, during public holidays or at times when text message traffic is heavy.

No, you cannot. The message will not be directed to the emergency services in that country. 

No, it cannot. Only text messages sent from Finnish numbers are directed to Finland's emergency services.