In order to promote the visibility and accessibility of the 112 telephone number, as well as to increase the knowledge of residents regarding the 112 telephone number and actions in various threats, the information Centre of the Ministry of the Interior has developed a new application “112 Latvija” and website “www.112.lv” in co-operation with the State fire and Rescue Service.
The website www.112.lv summarizes in one place security tips provided by Latvian operational services for proper handling of various threats. Alongside this, warnings about potential hazards and necessary action will be deployed operationally.
The single emergency number 112 has been in operation in Latvia for 27 years. Last year, 1.063 million calls were received to this phone number, of which 43% were not related to situations where human health and life, property or the environment were at risk. Alongside this, in 2023, a study commissioned by the SFRS showed that 88% of Latvian residents know the 112 phone number, which is a good indicator, but insufficient, because there are still situations where victims or eyewitnesses of an accident call family members or acquaintances because they do not know another way to get help from the operational services. On the other hand, respondents estimate their preparedness for crisis and various emergencies on a 10-ball scale with 6.8, which confirms the need to increase access to educational information.
Anyone with a smartphone has been asked to download and use the new free “112 Latvija” app, which offers a number of benefits to the user.
The 112 Latvia app user will receive a notification on their smartphone screen about potential threats, such as red or orange-level warnings about hazardous weather conditions, screening alert sirens and other events that cause residents to be prepared to take action if necessary or require immediate action from residents. When you call the single emergency call number 112 from the 112 Latvija application, 112 controllers will see the approximate caller location. This will allow for more operational assistance to those residents who cannot give the exact address of the accident. For the controller to see the location of the person, you must allow the application to access the telephone location at the time of installation or later. Sending a text message to 112 facilitates emergency assistance for people with speech and hearing difficulties. We would like to note that texting is not a daily solution for quick communication with operational services. The 112 Latvia app also provides an easy and convenient way to get to know tips on how to deal with various threats and keep up-to-date with operational services.
You can download the 112 Latvija app from Google play and AppStore. It is suitable for use on smartphones with iOS and Android operating systems. The app is free, but according to your chosen mobile connection rate, you may be charged for using the Internet. On the www.112.lv website, you'll find security tips for all operational services, recommendations for action on threats, and highlights in one place.
The 112 Latvia app and the website www.112.lv were created thanks to co-financing from the European Regional Development Fund.
