EENA Update 09/07/2026
EENA’s newsletter brings you the latest updates in emergency communications.
In this edition, you can read about problems with eCall in Australia and Wales, a hacker compromising Brazil’s public warning system, rising emergency calls due to a heatwave, and more!
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EENA news
Blog post: Denial of Service Prevention in PSAPs
Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks pose a significant threat to Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), where service disruption can delay emergency response and put lives at risk. Both Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks targeting IT infrastructure and Telephony Denial-of-Service (TDoS) attacks flooding emergency lines have become increasingly sophisticated, requiring dedicated prevention and mitigation strategies.
EENA’s new blog post provides an overview of the threats posed by DoS attacks against PSAPs, their potential operational and public safety impacts, and the technical and organisational measures available to reduce these risks. It highlights the importance of resilient system design, network redundancy, intelligent traffic filtering, and close cooperation with telecommunications providers to ensure the continuous availability of emergency services.
Did you miss our latest webinar on Resilience and support for call‑takers responding to suicidal crises? You can now watch the webinar on our Members’ Area!
2G/3G Shutdown
Iceland considers temporary emergency number after 2G/3G shutdown
Icelandic authorities are considering introducing a temporary seven-digit emergency number after the country’s 2G and 3G network shutdown left around 6,000 mobile phones unable to connect to 112. The issue mainly affects some older devices and phones purchased abroad that attempt to route emergency calls through legacy networks, despite still being able to make ordinary calls.
The proposal is intended as a temporary solution while affected users update or replace their devices, although authorities note that calls to the alternative number would not automatically transmit caller location or other emergency data available through 112. In the meantime, residents and visitors are encouraged to test their phones by calling 1280 to confirm they can successfully reach emergency services.
Read more here (Iceland Review).
Read more here (RUV)
Projects
Final SUNSHINE project Training Seminar on EU Space for disaster resilience held in Croatia
The SUNSHINE project held its fourth and final Training Seminar in Zagreb, Croatia, concluding a seven-month capacity-building programme that trained nearly 100 civil protection professionals from across Europe. The seminars focused on the practical use of EU Space Programme services, including Copernicus, Galileo, GOVSATCOM and IRIS², for disaster management and civil protection. The project will continue with a final simulation exercise in Brussels on 6–7 October 2026, where participants will apply their knowledge in realistic emergency response scenarios.
Read more here (European Commission).
Emergency communications around the world
Australian eCall services may require ongoing subscriptions
Concerns have been raised in Australia that eCall emergency calling services could stop working for some vehicle owners once complimentary subscriptions provided by manufacturers expire. Unlike in Europe, where eCall has been mandatory since 2018 and operates through a public emergency network, many Australian vehicles rely on third-party services that may require ongoing subscription fees. The issue has prompted renewed discussion about introducing a public eCall infrastructure. Australia’s vehicle safety programme, ANCAP, now assesses eCall functionality as part of its post-crash safety criteria and says wider adoption of a public system would improve long-term access to this potentially life-saving technology.
Moldova to integrate eCall into the national 112 system
Moldova has approved legislation to integrate eCall into its national 112 emergency system, aligning the country’s emergency communications with EU interoperability standards. The system will automatically transmit crash information to emergency services following a serious road accident and will also support manual activation via an in-vehicle SOS button. The integration builds on upgrades completed in 2025 to support next-generation eCall over 4G and 5G networks. The legislation is expected to enter into force in May 2027 and also lays the groundwork for future emergency communication services, including real-time video and text messaging.
North Wales Police warns over accidental eCall activations
North Wales Police has reported a rise in accidental 999 calls caused by the eCall SOS button fitted in newer vehicles. Authorities say many calls are triggered unintentionally or used for non-emergency situations, even though every eCall activation must be treated as a potential emergency until confirmed otherwise. The force is encouraging motorists to familiarise themselves with their vehicle’s emergency call system and reminding drivers that the SOS function should only be used in genuine emergencies, as false activations can place unnecessary pressure on emergency call centres and delay responses to real incidents.
Hacker compromises Brazil’s national public warning system
Brazil’s national public warning system was temporarily compromised after a hacker sent false cell broadcast emergency alerts to millions of mobile phones across several states. The fake alerts, issued as the highest-level “Extreme Alert”, contained only the word “misanthropy” and did not correspond to any real emergency. Authorities quickly took the alert platform offline and launched an investigation. Although no harmful instructions were included, the incident has raised concerns about the cybersecurity and public trust of emergency warning systems, highlighting the importance of protecting critical alerting infrastructure from unauthorised access.
FCC adopts new cybersecurity rules for emergency alert systems
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted new cybersecurity requirements to better protect the Emergency Alert System (EAS) from cyberattacks and unauthorised alerts. The adopted rules include measures to better protect alerting systems from cyberattacks, improve the reliability of Cell Broadcast alerts, improve the accuracy of alerts geotargeting, include standardised symbols in the alerts text and remove a 90-character restriction on cell broadcast.
Read more here (Industrial Cyber).
Australia to conduct nationwide cell broadcast alert test
Australia will conduct a nationwide test of its new AusAlert public warning system on 27 July, sending a test cell broadcast message to compatible mobile phones across the country. The exercise is intended to verify the system’s performance and familiarise the public with how emergency alerts will appear and sound on their devices. Once fully operational, AusAlert will use cell broadcast technology to deliver geographically targeted warnings during natural disasters, major incidents and other public safety emergencies.
Belgium sees sharp rise in 112 calls during heatwave
Belgium experienced a sharp increase in calls to 112 during the recent heatwave, with emergency call volumes rising from around 6,000 to nearly 11,800 in a single day. Ambulance deployments also increased significantly, putting additional pressure on hospitals and emergency services. To help manage demand, authorities deployed extra ambulances and urged the public to reserve 112 for genuine emergencies, while encouraging people to stay hydrated, avoid excessive heat and check on vulnerable individuals.
London Ambulance Service records busiest day in its history
The London Ambulance Service (LAS) recorded its busiest day ever as extreme heat drove a surge in demand for emergency medical assistance. The service answered 8,869 emergency calls in a single day and dispatched ambulances to a record 688 Category 1 incidents, including life-threatening emergencies such as cardiac arrests. Despite deploying more than 400 additional ambulance crews, the sustained pressure led LAS to declare a critical incident for several hours. The service has urged the public to stay hydrated, drink responsibly and help reduce avoidable demand on emergency services during periods of extreme heat.
EENA was here
Disaster Resilience Days
30 June – 2 July, Brussels, Belgium
EENA participated in Disaster Resilience Days, bringing together experts, policymakers and innovators to discuss disaster resilience, preparedness and new technologies for crisis management. The event featured presentations, panel discussions and project demonstrations, providing an opportunity to exchange knowledge and strengthen cooperation across the disaster resilience community.
Korea-EU Horizon Europe Researchers Networking Forum
1 July, Brussels, Belgium
EENA participated in the Korea-EU Horizon Europe Researchers Networking Forum in Brussels, which brought together researchers and innovation stakeholders to strengthen EU–South Korea cooperation under Horizon Europe. The event focused on artificial intelligence, research collaboration and opportunities for future joint projects.