Getting help becomes easier for citizens on the move
The Italian app WhereAreU and the Finnish app 112 Suomi (Emergency Response Centre Agency) are the first to successfully join the PEMEA network. Live calls have already been received this January.
This is an important step forward for emergency services and citizens. From now on, users of the Finnish app travelling in Italy will be able to contact local emergency services without downloading a new app, and vice versa. It will therefore be easier for foreign visitors to request help when on the move, and this will become even more impactful as more countries join the PEMEA network.
The PEMEA idea was first developed by EENA, after identifying a problem that compromised people’s safety. Many people use emergency apps, but issues arise when they try to use them in other countries and cannot connect to local emergency services. PEMEA makes it possible for an app to work wherever a person is travelling in the EU, which is essential for keeping people safe.
The work was later taken over by ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) and PEMEA became an ETSI standard, aiming to enable European citizens to contact the nearest emergency call centre using the mobile app downloaded in their home country.
In addition, integrating into the PEMEA network ensures that both national citizens and foreign visitors will be geolocated when they call the emergency services, regardless of their origin or language. Location information is extremely valuable and helps to significantly improve response times. Now, both the 112 Suomi app and the WhereAreU app are connected to the PEMEA network and live calls are taking place.PEMEA is also in the process of being deployed in various other European