EENA Update 16/09/2026
EENA’s newsletter brings you the latest updates in emergency communications.
In this edition, you can read about emergency call disruptions in Australia, cell broadcast testing in Germany and Sweden, Nigeria planning to implement 112, and more.
Subscribe to the newsletter here!
EENA news
Looking ahead to EENA 2027
Preparations are underway for the EENA 2027 Conference & Exhibition, taking place on 7–9 April 2027 in Malmö, Sweden.
The first opportunity to get involved is our Shaping the EENA 2027 Conference Programme webinar on 24 September at 14:30 CET. We’ll give an early look at the topics shaping the conference, discuss the session formats and the submission process, and answer questions from potential speakers.
The Call for Presentations will open in early October. We encourage the EENA community to submit ideas early and help us build a strong, community-driven programme.
For our Advisory Board members, we will also hold a webinar on 1 October at 14:30 CEST to present the EENA 2027 sponsorship and exhibition opportunities. EENA 2026 exhibitors will receive the sponsorship pack in advance, with the opportunity to pre-book a stand or sponsorship.
Registration for EENA 2027 will open in December.
We are looking forward to your contributions and meeting you in Malmö!
Join the EENA Members’ Area
New EENA blog post: Why managed services are becoming mission-critical for public safety
As emergency communications become increasingly digital and interconnected, ensuring that critical systems remain available, secure and resilient is becoming more complex. From cybersecurity and 24/7 system monitoring to managing upgrades without disrupting operations, public safety organisations face growing demands on both their technology and specialist expertise.
Our latest guest blog post takes a look at the role managed services can play in supporting operational resilience, and why governance, security and continuous assurance are becoming increasingly important for public safety.
The blog post is sponsored by Octave.
EENA certification programmes
EENA certification programmes
Did you know that EENA offers certification programmes for both Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) and Third-Party Service Providers (TPSPs)?
Our PSAP certification allows emergency call centres to benchmark their operations against a standard specifically developed for emergency call handling, identify areas for improvement and support the continued development of their services. The programme includes three certification levels: Foundation, Accredited and Distinguished.
EENA also offers a dedicated certification programme for Third-Party Service Providers, assessing service quality, operational reliability and alignment with the needs of emergency services.
For more information about EENA’s certification programmes, contact Cristina Lumbreras at [email protected]
Learn more about PSAP certification here.
Learn more about TPSP certification here.
Peter Lonergan leaving EENA
Our colleague Peter Lonergan has moved on from EENA to new opportunities. It has been a pleasure working with him, and we’re grateful for his dedication and contribution to EENA’s work. We wish him all the very best for the future!
For all policy and advocacy-related matters, you can contact Benoit Vivier at [email protected].
Projects
Practitioner perspectives: Strengthening multi-level and cross-sectoral coordination in disaster risk management through TOGETHER
29 September 2026 at 13:00 CET
The TOGETHER project will bring together practitioners from its Disaster Risk Management Innovation Hubs and replication sites to discuss coordination challenges across organisations, sectors and governance levels. The panel will also explore how TOGETHER can support better information sharing, situational awareness and coordinated, risk-informed decision-making.
Register here for the webinar.
Standardisation
A new European standard for accessible emergency communications
ETSI has published EN 303 919 – Accessibility and Interoperability of Emergency Communications, marking an important milestone for accessible emergency communications in Europe.
The standard provides a common technical framework covering the whole emergency communication chain, including devices, communication networks and services, PSAPs and assisting services. It includes requirements for voice, real-time text and video, and supports the implementation of the European Accessibility Act.
EENA actively contributed to the development of the standard through ETSI TC EMTEL.
Webinars
Location, location, location: Why we need maps of PSAPs
22 September 2026 at 14:30 CET
Timely information can change the course of an emergency. This webinar will discuss why we need maps of Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs). The session will explore the role of PSAP mapping in supporting information sharing, coordination and more connected and resilient emergency communications.
This webinar is sponsored by rescuetrack.
Add the webinar to your calendar here.
Shaping the EENA 2027 Conference programme
24 September 2026 at 14:30 CET
Join us ahead of the EENA 2027 Call for Presentations for an early look at the themes and priorities shaping next year’s conference in Malmö, Sweden (7–9 April 2027), and learn how to contribute to the programme. The webinar will cover the conference themes, submission categories and formats, the proposal process, and the support available to speakers. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions directly to the programme team. The webinar is intended for anyone considering submitting an innovation, operational experience, research project or case study, as well as those interested in recommending a potential speaker or learning more about the EENA 2027 programme. The Call for Presentations will open shortly after the webinar.
Add the webinar to your calendar here.
The future of Critical Communications: Findings from Omdia’s 2026 survey
29 September 2026 at 14:30 CET
Emerging technologies are transforming critical communications, creating new opportunities as well as new challenges for the sector. In this webinar, Omdia analysts will present the key findings from the Emerging Technologies and Critical Innovation 2026 survey, highlighting the technologies and trends that critical communications stakeholders believe will have the greatest impact in the coming years. Join us to explore the survey results and what they mean for the future of critical communications.
This webinar is sponsored by Omdia.
Add the webinar to your calendar here.
Emergency communications handling around the world: Costa Rica
6 October 2026 at 16:00 CET
This webinar series looks at emergency calls handling systems in different countries to better understand their challenges and provide a broader overview of emergency communications across Europe and beyond. In this webinar, we will hear from Costa Rica.
Add the webinar to your calendar here.
Overview of Breathing Emergency Detection on Pixel Watch
20 October 2026 at 16:00 CET
Google has launched Breathing Emergency Detection, a first-of-its-kind feature on Pixel Watch 4 and Pixel Watch 5, and it has been CE marked for the European market and is available in certain EU countries. Breathing Emergency Detection can automatically place a call to emergency services if it detects a persistent drop in oxygen saturation to dangerously low levels and the user is unresponsive. In this webinar, we will explore the underlying sensing technology, clinical validation, how it works and address questions about the feature.
This webinar is sponsored by Google. Registration is open for our ESSN members.
Add the webinar to your calendar here.
Register here for the webinar.
Emergency communications handling around the world: Hong Kong
27 October 2026 at 11:00 CET
This webinar series looks at emergency calls handling systems in different countries to better understand their challenges and provide a broader overview of emergency communications across Europe and beyond. In this webinar, we will hear from Hong Kong.
Add the webinar to your calendar here.
Emergency communications around the world
Optus outage disrupts emergency calls in Australia
An Optus network outage disrupted emergency calls in parts of Australia on 11 September. The 76-minute technical failure affected voice services across parts of Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, with some customers experiencing intermittent call dropouts. Police in Victoria carried out around 40 welfare checks on people affected by the outage, with no adverse outcomes reported. The incident has raised renewed concerns about the resilience of emergency calling, following an Optus outage in 2025 that left hundreds unable to contact emergency services and resulted in two deaths. Australian authorities have launched investigations into the latest incident, stressing the responsibility of telecommunications providers to ensure reliable access to Triple Zero.
Sweden conducts first test of new SE-Alert system
Sweden has carried out the first test of SE-Alert, its new national mobile warning system, which entered service in July 2026. The test took place in Stockholm and Gotland on 7 September alongside a scheduled test of the country’s outdoor warning system. SE-Alert uses cell broadcast technology and complements existing public warning channels including radio, television, apps and outdoor sirens. Further testing and development of the system is planned, with the first nationwide SE-Alert test scheduled for December.
Read more here (Nordic Defence Sector).
Germany tests public warning systems nationwide
Germany carried out its annual nationwide warning day on 10 September, testing sirens, cell broadcast, warning apps, television, radio and other public warning channels. Authorities described the exercise as successful, saying the systems were able to reach millions of people through multiple channels. Residents have been asked to provide feedback, which will be evaluated and used to further improve Germany’s public warning systems.
Public confidence in Thailand’s disaster warning system remains low
A new survey in Thailand has found that 47% of respondents have little or no confidence in the country’s disaster warning system, following criticism over delays in issuing warnings during recent severe flooding. Social media and warning apps were the most preferred channels for receiving disaster information, selected by 26% of respondents, followed by cell broadcast at 22% and community broadcasting towers at 16%. The survey highlighted the importance of using multiple warning channels, noting that traditional local communication remains important alongside faster digital systems.
Read more here (Bangkok Post).
Nigeria moves towards nationwide rollout of 112
Nigeria is taking steps to operationalise 112 as its single nationwide toll-free emergency number, following its approval by the National Economic Council. The aim is to replace fragmented emergency contact numbers with a unified point of access for police, fire, medical and other emergency assistance. A committee bringing together the police, telecommunications regulator, emergency management agency, road safety authorities and other stakeholders has been tasked with developing an operational roadmap and standard operating procedures. The longer-term goal is to move from fragmented emergency response systems towards a coordinated and fully integrated national framework.
SAMU doctor convicted after death of patient in France
A doctor working for SAMU, France’s emergency medical service, has been convicted of failing to assist a person in danger following the death of a 54-year-old woman in 2023. The woman had called the emergency medical service reporting severe chest pain and dizziness. An ambulance was initially sent to her home, but the symptoms were assessed as an anxiety attack. According to the report, incorrect information was subsequently given to the SAMU doctor suggesting that ambulance crews had previously attended the same patient several times for stress-related symptoms. The patient later died despite her family contacting the service again as her condition worsened. The Strasbourg criminal court convicted the doctor of failure to assist a person in danger.
Concerns raised over 999 call handling after teenager’s death
A coroner in the UK has raised concerns about the handling of a 999 call made for a 17-year-old who later died from meningococcal septicaemia. During the call, the call handler was reportedly unable to prioritise the teenager’s symptoms using the NHS triage software, and an ambulance was not dispatched. A promised callback within 20 minutes instead took one hour and 41 minutes. The coroner highlighted difficulties in triaging patients with multiple symptoms that could indicate sepsis and suggested that a dedicated sepsis algorithm could support call handlers. NHS England said the concerns had been considered, while the ambulance service has introduced changes including clearer procedures for escalating calls to clinicians and additional staff training.
Emergency text messages increase sharply in Finland
Finland’s Emergency Response Centre Agency received 23,000 emergency text messages in the first half of 2026, compared with 4,600 during the same period last year. The increase follows the removal of the registration requirement for the emergency SMS service in June 2025, allowing messages to be sent from any number. Overall, Finland’s emergency response centres received 1.28 million emergency contacts between January and June. Average answering time improved to five seconds, with 99% answered within 30 seconds.
From our community
WBA seeks input on priority Wi-Fi access for emergency responders
The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) is seeking feedback on requirements for OpenRoaming Critical Access, a proposed enhancement to its OpenRoaming Wi-Fi federation aimed at providing priority Wi-Fi access for first responders and national security and emergency preparedness personnel.
The initiative is intended to complement existing critical communications systems and allow authorised users to receive priority service over participating Wi-Fi networks. The WBA is particularly seeking input on resilience and availability requirements for the service.
Interested stakeholders can respond to the survey until 2 October 2026.