Help yourself and others

In case of an emergency, always call 112 first, not your friends or family. There are situations where every second counts and to ensure that help can arrive as soon as possible, the Emergency Response Centre should be the first one that you notify of the situation.

Follow the instructions provided by the call-taker. The person answering your call has completed training necessary for conducting a call and determining vital information. Trust the call-taker and follow the instructions they provide with speed and precision – this may save your life or someone else’s life.

Start by telling the call-taker what has happened – e.g. a traffic accident, fire, someone fell or you are lost in the forest. Be sure to specify whether anyone has been injured. The call-taker will then ask additional questions from you in order to determine the severity of the situation, what kind of help is needed and in what extent.

Give your address in as much detail as possible; if you are not at the scene yourself, describe the location where help is needed. You call will be positioned, but this may not provide the most exact data, which is why the call-taker will always ask you for the location. If possible, tell the call-taker your coordinates.

Don’t hang up before all the necessary information has been determined. The fact that you are asked additional questions will not cause a delay in the arrival of help – if someone’s life or health is in danger, help will be sent out already during the call while you are still talking to the call-taker.