What is the emergency number in Sweden, and the rest of Europe?

An article series on emergency calls to 112 & other emergency numbers – Part 1

SOS alarm in Sweden receives more than 8,000 calls a day to the emergency number, 112. Two-thirds of the calls concern real emergencies that require urgent action.

In this two-part article series, you will find out which telephone numbers to use in case of an emergency in Sweden or anywhere in Europe for that matter. In the articles you will also gain important knowledge that you may benefit from, if you are forced to call 112. You will receive tips on how to practice emergency calls with your children so that they also know how & when to call 112 for help.

When to call 112?

112 should only be used in emergency situations where there is danger to life, property or the environment which requires immediate assistance. Through a call to 112, you can get help from ambulance, fire department, police, air/sea & mountain rescue-service, a priest or poison information.

You can call the emergency number at any time 7 days a week. You can call either from a landline or a mobile phone. Your call is answered by an operator whose job is to get as much information as possible in order to send the right resources to the right places. The SOS operator speaks Swedish or English (when the call is made in Sweden) but has the opportunity to seek help from an interpreter if translation is needed.

Where to call if it is not time critical, but still an emergency?

Sometimes you may need to get in contact with the emergency services or police even if it is not a time-critical situation. Then it is important not to use the emergency number 112. Instead you should use one of the other phone numbers available. That way, you do not risk delaying other, more time-critical rescue efforts.

113 13 is a national (Swedish) information number

You can call the information number 113 13 to provide or receive information on serious accidents or emergencies. The service is available 24/7.

114 14 – Get in touch with the police when it is not an emergency

Call 114 14 for matters that is not about ongoing or recent crimes and incidents. The service is available 24/7.

1177 – Health and medical support

1177 is a national (Swedish) telephone number for medical advice. The service is available 24/7 and is suitable for all medical questions except when it is life-threatening.

What emeregency number should I use if the situation may escalate?

If you believe that a situation may escalate to a critical situation, you should always call 112.

What emergency number should I call if I need to reach SOS alarm in another country?

112 is an European emergency number and works in all European countries in order to reach any emergency service. This means that you can call 112 and get local help regardless of which European country you are in. In case of emergencies outside Europe, you need to look up what number is relevant for that particular area, here is a list of the emergency numbers in most countries. Keep in mind that some countries have multiple emergency numbers, sometimes one for each region of the country.

My car has an automatic SOS-on call feature (eCall), how does it work?

eCall is a system in the European Union that automatically call for help if you get into an accident with your car. Sensors in the car detect that an accident has occurred, and the system can then automatically call an alarm center that tries to contact you. This enables assistance to be sent out even if you or your passengers are not contactable, eCall also automatically sends important information to the alarm center, for example where the accident has occurred.

There is also a button in the car to manually dial the emergency center. Instead of having to pick up the phone and dial the number, you only need to press the SOS-button to get in touch with the right help resources.

How many emergency calls to SOS-alarm are prank calls or false alarms?

In Sweden, about one-third of all calls to SOS-alarm apply to situations that do not require urgent assistance. This means that several calls each minute take up precious time from the alarm operators, many of which are prank calls from children & youths.

Practice emergency calls with your children & inform them about the possible consequences if they prank call 112.

Having regular evacuation drills at home where your children also gets to try an SOS call can be vital in case of a fire or similar emergency. At the exercise, have the children call your cellphone number and then ask questions just as the alarm operator would have done. Also inform to the children about when to call 112 & what the consequences for others well-being there can be if they call the emergency numbers unnecessarily.

What do I need to think about when calling the emergency number?

When speaking to the SOS operator you will be asked several questions. The SOS operator asks them in order to send the best suited resources to the correct place.

In part 2 of this article series we learn more about how to make an emergency call in the best way.

About Safe@Work

Safe@Work is an educational organizer who helps organizations creating a safe & prosperous work environment. Each year, we help thousands of people minimize the risks through quality training & equipment.

Courses with focus on saving lives & First Aid

Safe@Work has some of the most knowledgeable & experienced course leaders in the country. The instructors have many years of experience both as rescue personnel and as trainers. In a pedagogical way, they ensure that all participants receives vital knowledge, always tailored to the each participant’s prerequisites and capabilities.

Examples of some of the courses:

• Fire Safety Training
• Evacuation drill
• CPR training
• Driver training and First Aid

• Dela: