The main reason for introducing the 112 emergency number throughout the European Community was to coordinate in the most rapid and effective way possible all the emergency services. Additionally, the aim was to provide a simple number for the public to ring and receive the quickest aid possible in case of an accident.

Operative system
Coordination and speed are the main objectives of the 112 service. When a call is received, a computer program records the number and locates (only in the case of fixed line telephones for the moment) the exact place where the call is being made from. This system has been developed for cases where the caller has had to hang up the telephone and cannot continue the conversation with the operator. The operators receive intensive training where they are instructed on how to classify and prioritise the calls they receive and work out the urgency of the case.

As soon as the services required to attend the call are decided on -firemen, medical assistance, police- the 112 service contacts them and gives them all the information necessary to reach the destination as soon as possible.
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A single incident can often originate various calls. To prevent more than one service attending to the incident, operators have a system whereby information regarding the incident can by accessed thereby helping to provide a quicker solution. Additionally, the operators are prepared to offer advice in case of an emergency while the services are on their way.

Also, every service attended by the 112 system is rigorously followed until it has been concluded, that is to say, until the services have fulfilled their mission and returned to base.

The Spanish experience
In Spain, several autonomous communities have already introduced the 112�system: Madrid, Baleares, Extremadura, Castilla y Le�n, La Rioja, Galicia and Canarias, among others, with the rest of the Spanish territory to come.

The pioneers in introducing this system where the Balearic Islands, who installed the necessary infrastructure in February 1996.� Several other communities followed the Balearic Islands, such as Madrid, which introduced the system on 1 January 1998.

The rest of Europe
The EU established that the 112 system should be introduced before 31 December 1995 in all the member states. The deadline has not been met in many cases where the system has not reached the entire country in question. If you are considering travelling abroad, consult the embassy of your destination country to see whether the service has been introduced throughout the territory.�