EENA’s newsletter brings you the latest updates in emergency communications.
In this edition, you can read about EENA’s upcoming events and webinars, the FCC’s new NG911 rules, emergency call disruptions in the US and UK, advancements in public warning systems in Thailand, and much more.
Subscribe to the newsletter here!
EENA News
NG112 & AI DAYS – Register now!
EENA is hosting an upcoming member’s seminar dedicated to the advancements in Next Generation 112 and Artificial Intelligence! Join us on 4-5 December 2024 at Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain.
112 AWARDS 2025
EENA is considering having the 112 Awards Ceremony in 2025, as part of our annual event on 9-11 April 2025 in Helsinki. Since 2008, the 112 Awards Ceremony has aimed at rewarding citizens and public safety organisations that have done a small or big deed to help improve the safety and security of others. We want to acknowledge commitment, selflessness, and community service.
Submit your applications through the online form by 6 September 2024.
Learn more & submit your story!
EENA 2025 Conference – Save the date!
The annual EENA Conference will be held on 9-11 April 2025 in Helsinki! Mark your calendars for this event filled with interesting sessions and presentations and get ready to network with hundreds of public safety professionals. More information will follow soon.
Webinars
Enhancing emergency communications routing and location transmission reliability with
SIP PIDF-LO
10 September 2024, 14:00 CEST
Join this webinar to explore SIP PIDF-LO’s role in enhancing the routing of emergency communications and caller location transmission reliability. The webinar will also discuss the collaboration effort needed across the emergency communications supply chain to ensure seamless integration of SIP PIDF-LO across Europe.
Add to your calendar.
Tech transitions: Implementing change effectively in the emergency field
24 September 2024, 14:30 CEST
This webinar explores the important aspects of technology implementation and change management. Participants will learn about the strategies 112 Finland and the London Fire organisations use to integrate new technologies effectively and manage the associated changes. The session will highlight real-world challenges and solutions, offering practical knowledge.
Avatar 112 deaf experimentation
1 October 2024, 14:30 CEST
Join our webinar to discover a project using a “Digital Human” avatar with Italian Sign Language (LIS) to improve emergency communication for the hearing impaired. Utilizing AI, computer vision, NLP, 3D techniques, and 5G technology on the Questit Algho platform, this initiative aims to reduce social barriers and enhance emergency management. We’ll evaluate its efficiency and effectiveness in real-world scenarios, focusing on avatar responsiveness and user experience.
Policy & regulatory news
The FCC adopts new rules to facilitate the transition to Next Generation 911
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted new rules for phone service providers to upgrade their technology for Next Generation 911 calls. This advancement updates the outdated 911 infrastructure, allowing digital platforms to handle photos, videos, location data, and improved call routing. State-wide 911 authorities can now mandate service providers to complete two upgrade phases: converting to digital platforms and meeting international Next Generation 911 standards.
Read more here (Statescoop).
European Critical Communication System mentioned in von der Leyen’s political guidelines
The political guidelines of the re-elected president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, mention the EUCCS, stating that the approach to security should be centred around a new European Critical Communication System to be used by public authorities in charge of security and safety. This will be part of the work to improve daily operational cooperation in the fight against terrorism and crime and in saving lives in emergency situations.
Read more here (PDF).
Emergency communications around the world
911 systems were disrupted in at least three U.S. states
On 19 July, emergency call systems in Alaska, Oregon and Arizona were impacted by a CrowdStrike technology outage. In Oregon, 911 centres, hospitals, and public safety agencies faced significant disruptions. In Phoenix, computerised dispatch centres were affected, forcing dispatchers to record communications on paper. Alaska experienced state-wide 911 call centre issues.
Read more here (TIME).
In Europe, 112 doesn’t seem to have been affected by the worldwide outage. However, some PSAPs suffered from disturbance. For instance, in Catalonia, Spain, the 061 number for health consultations was unavailable for about six hours.
Read more here (3Cat).
A new mobile phone alert system to be introduced in Thailand
Thailand will introduce a new public warning system early next year to send emergency messages to all mobile phone users, including visiting foreigners. The alerts will be in Thai, English, Chinese, Japanese, and Russian, appearing as images and audio without needing an app. Using cell broadcast technology, warnings can be sent to all devices in a specific area or nationwide. This system, similar to those in most European countries, is intended to enhance public safety during emergencies and disasters.
Read more here (Bangkok Post).
Nigeria to harmonise 112 emergency response number
Nigeria’s ICT and Interior Ministries have agreed to streamline emergency response services. The Ministry of the Interior will coordinate merging current emergency numbers into the unified 112 number, with support from the Nigerian Communications Commission. The collaboration includes the Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and Federal Fire Service to improve internal security and emergency response.
Read more here (Telecompaper).
February AT&T outage blocked 25,000 emergency calls in the U.S.
According to a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) report, AT&T’s outage in February 2024, caused by a technical error, disrupted service for all its mobile users and significantly impacted emergency services. It took 12 hours to restore the service fully. The FCC criticised AT&T for multiple errors and emphasised the need for robust procedures to prevent such incidents.
Read more here (Washington Post).
BT fined millions for failing to connect 999 calls
BT has been fined £17.5 million for a failure in its emergency call handling service that resulted in 14,000 failed 999 calls on 25 June last year. The Office of Communications’ investigation found BT was unprepared to respond to the 10-hour network fault, lacking sufficient warning systems and processes to address and mitigate incidents. No serious harm was reported, but the potential for significant harm was high.
Read more here (BBC News).
Upcoming in our network
Subscribe to a newsletter on the AWARE project!
EENA is participating in the EU-funded AWARE project, a crucial initiative in disaster management. The project will develop a solution integrating Galileo Emergency Warning Satellite Service (EWSS) alerts into fixed devices such as digital display panels, long-range acoustic devices (LRADs), and indoor warning systems. This ensures vital information about disasters reaches people promptly, even if traditional telecom networks fail.
Subscribe to the newsletter to stay informed on the project!
Webinar: Accessibility & interoperability of emergency communications and answering of emergency communications
5 September 2024 15:30 CEST
The ETSI STF 642 team will present the European Commission’s standards TS 103 919 and EN/HS 303 919 on emergency communication accessibility and interoperability. These standards outline the technical requirements for IP multimedia-based emergency communications for mobile and VoIP services, and their handling by PSAPs.
BAPCO 2025 opens call for proposals
BAPCO has opened their call for proposals for their annual event, which will take place in 2025. This call for content is looking at ideas and innovations to help frontline workers and practical case studies from end-users. The call for proposals is open until the 9 September 2024.
Read more and apply here.
6th NG112 Emergency Communications with NG eCall Plugtests
ETSI, in cooperation with EENA, is organising an NG112 Emergency Communications with NG eCall Plugtests event in Malaga, Spain with the support of ETSI TC EMTEL and TC MSG. The University of Malaga will host this event from 30 September to 4 October 2024. Remote participation will be possible.
Learn more and register before 31 August here!
What to do when you need to contact emergency services while in another country?
European PSAPs (Public Safety Answering Points) typically cannot communicate across national borders, except in a few cases involving cross-border initiatives. To address this issue, EENA established a database of national PSAPs’ telephone numbers in 2009, hosted by the European Communications Office (ECO) – the PSAP Directory.
In a recent Facebook post, Lithuanian emergency services described a situation where a woman on vacation in Lithuania discovered that her house in the Netherlands was being broken into. She called the Lithuanian emergency services through 112, and the Lithuanian operator was able to connect her directly to the Dutch police using the PSAP Directory. This is a prime example of how the PSAP Directory enhances security and safety across Europe.
Learn more about the PSAP Directory on our website.