News and bulletins
Statistics on the emergency number 112
In 2024, the Emergency Response Centre Agency received an average of 7,600 emergency calls every day. Of these calls, 1,600 should not have been made to the emergency response centre. Roughly one half of the calls were passed on to authorities while the other half were handled by the emergency response centre operator through guidance and advice. The average time in which an emergency call was picked up was seven seconds.
How to instruct different target groups in calling the emergency number
The 112 Day campaign has issued instructions on calling the emergency number for the general public as well as children and young people, older people and foreign-language speakers. Learn more about the instructions and make use of the associated materials.
The emergency number provides safety for children
Teaching children how to use the emergency number correctly is a safety action. It is important to talk to children about identifying emergencies and encourage them to report an emergency.
Emergency number emphasised in different ways to different target groups
The 112 Day is a nationwide campaign aimed at raising Finnish people’s awareness of the emergency number 112 and how to recognise emergencies. When it comes to 112 training, it is a good idea to consider the characteristic behaviour and understanding of the target group. For example, it is advisable to emphasise different things to children and young people than older people, immigrants and foreign nationals.
Representing your profession at the Independence Day Reception
Anniina Takala, the ERC Operator of the Year, will celebrate the Finnish Independence Day at the Presidential Palace. She feels that the invitation honours the whole profession.
It is safe to talk about self-destructiveness
Thousands of emergency calls are made to the Emergency Response Centres every year involving cases of self-harm or attempted suicide. The purpose of the Suicide Prevention Day is to inform people that help is available and that it's safe to talk about suicide.
Children are being taught how to recognise emergencies
Children are excellent emergency callers as they are honest; although you never want them to face an emergency. It is important, however, that children are taught the correct use of the emergency number, just as adults are.
New guidelines to help operators in risk-assessment
The guidelines for handling tasks in the Emergency Response Centre Agency’s emergency medical services were revised at the end of November 2023. The change is reflected in the number of tasks assigned to emergency medical care and in the priority distribution.
Non-urgent prehospital care assignments involve multi-professional cooperation
Congestion in health care and social services has recently been in the news frequently, and the issue is also affecting emergency and prehospital care. Non-urgent tasks are also increasingly assigned to prehospital emergency care services, and various multi-professional approaches have been developed around Finland to handle these assignments.
EU project teaches children about the emergency number
The Emergency Response Centre Administration is participating in an EU project that improves the visibility of the missing children help system. A key theme of the project is teaching children how to correctly use the emergency number.