Somebody call 112

Earlier this year in February the center launched India’s all-in-one emergency helpline number ‘112’ in 16 states and union territories. Twenty states and union territories have already joined the pan-India network of single emergency helpline number ‘112’ on which immediate help can be required by anyone in distress, declared the officials on Friday. The network is similar to the United States’ ‘911’. ‘112’ is an amalgamation of helpline numbers of police (100), fire (101), and women (1090) and this project is under the central government’s ‘Nirbhaya Fund’.

It is an internationally recognized number that will tackle all types of emergencies and is supported by the Emergency Response Support System. The official said that a panic button has already been provided on all mobile phones, which on activation will trigger an emergency call to ‘112’. The Emergency Response Centre (ERC), being set up by the states and union territories, can receive the panic signal via voice call to ‘112’, email requests on state ERSS website or the ‘112’ mobile app.

The states that have joined this network are, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Gujarat, Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadar and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Nagaland, and Jammu and Kashmir.  

Smartphone users can download the app ‘112 India’ from the Google Play Store and Apple Store. In case of emergencies, one can dial 112 on a phone or press the power button of their smartphone three times quickly to send a panic call to the Emergency Response Centre. For those who don’t have a smartphone can activate a panic call by long pressing either ‘5’ or ‘9’ on their phone.

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