How to call “112”?

Step-by-step guide on what to do after dialling 112:

• The place from which you call should be near the place of the incident and should allow to easily talk to the operator (without disruptions);

• If possible, a call to the “112” number operator should be made by a person located directly on the spot or by a witness of the given incident;

• After dialling “112” wait patiently until the operator answers, do not hang up until the call has been answered (the call is free of charge so it does not generate any cost for the caller);

• Briefly describe the incident or the situation you have witnessed so that the operator of the emergency communication centre/voivodeship emergency communication centre could call the relevant services, give your first name and surname;

• Give your current location/address where the incident or the situation took place; if possible, describe the fastest access road to the site of the incident;

• Provide additional information in reply to the questions asked by the operator;

• Follow the orders/instructions of the operator;

• Do not hang up until the operator explicitly tells you to do so, due to the need to provide the most important information about the incident;

• If the situation suddenly changes or gets worse, notify the "112" operator immediately;

• Try not to use the phone from which you called in case the operator tries to contact you again to verify the information or to provide other additional information. 

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT WHEN CALLING “112”?

The call will be transferred to the nearest emergency communication centre/voivodeship emergency communication centre or to the relevant services (Police, State Fire Service) competent for the caller’s location.

What will the operator answering a “112” call do?

• Ask for the type and place of the incident;
• Make an initial assessment of the situation and verify which services should be called to the place of the incident;
• Provide the information about the type of the incident to the competent emergency services, located within the shortest distance from the place of the incident; therefore, it is of utmost importance to specify the location as precisely as possible;
• If necessary, the operator may connect the caller directly to the dispatcher of the given service e.g. the ambulance dispatcher. 

Please remember that several persons may call the "112" emergency number at the same time, reporting the same incident. Do not get irritated if the operator answers your call, performs verification, asks one or two questions and ends the conversation quickly. This is to avoid blocking the line and repeating the same information about the incident to handle which the relevant services have already been dispatched.