Emergency call numbers in Salzburg are increasing: What's behind it?

Emergency call numbers in Salzburg are increasing: What's behind it?

Police emergency calls are increasing in the state of Salzburg, while there is a noticeable decline throughout Austria. According to ARF Radio Salzburg, people dialed the police emergency number 133 or the European emergency number 112 significantly less frequently last year; emergency calls fell by twelve percent. In Salzburg, on the other hand, the police are alerted an average of 1,000 times every day. This is often due to break-ins, thefts and traffic accidents, as the head of the state control center, Werner Kamper, explained. An innovative contribution to emergency calls is the E-Call system, which automatically sends an alarm if cars are involved in an accident. The car sends the emergency call data directly to the control center, which significantly speeds up the emergency response.

There are also modern options for making an emergency call, especially for people with hearing impairments. They can use the DEC112 app to make a text-based emergency call, which is forwarded to the police using the cell phone's GPS data. According to Markus Geiersberger, a police dispatcher, this enables rapid communication in an emergency. What is alarming, however, is the increase in unintentional emergency calls, known as “pocket calls,” which are caused in particular by incorrect smartphone settings. The police are therefore appealing to the public to configure their devices accordingly and to only use one button for emergency calls.

Emergency call systems meet needs

The police offer a “silent emergency call” via the DEC112 app for special situations such as acute dangers, such as violence in the private sphere. In such cases, precise location information can be crucial in order to enable rapid assistance. There are also numerous alternative emergency numbers, including 122 for the fire department and 144 for the rescue service. The uniform European emergency number 112 complements these services and is available in all EU countries. It can also be called from a mobile phone without an active SIM card, which makes access to emergency services much easier, as the police emphasize on their website.

Overall, it shows that the emergency call infrastructure in Salzburg is well positioned, while technological developments such as E-Call and the DEC112 app make communication between the population and the emergency services more efficient. The police remain committed to further increasing the safety of citizens through education and new technologies ORF Salzburg and Police.gv.at is reported.