According to the Emergency Response Centre Agency’s Director of ERC Services Marko Nieminen, almost one in three Finns have already downloaded the 112 Suomi application, which was launched five years ago.
“The application was originally developed to enable ERCs to locate callers in an emergency, but it has since grown into a more comprehensive collection of public safety services. We have tried to only include services that are inherently linked to the work of ERCs. By having all these services in one place, we can guide people towards seeking help from the right source and reduce the number of unnecessary emergency calls.”
The 112 Suomi application has been improved on the basis of feedback received from users and suggestions made by a range of partners, and it has evolved quickly.
“Our partnership with the software developer, Digia Plc, has been extremely fruitful, and they have been very good at delivering what we need. All the updates are based on feedback from users and experts. During the coronavirus outbreak, for example, we have listened particularly attentively to users and prioritised their wishes over other upgrades. It is important to remember, however, that even though there are practically no bounds to the services that could be offered through the application, the Emergency Response Centre Agency’s resources are still limited. Some ideas are simply too outlandish for us to entertain, and some could actually lead to us breaking the law," Nieminen says.
Latest update adds several new services to the application
The latest update gives the 112 Suomi application a brand-new look.
"The new interface is designed to maximise user-friendliness. The application has been built to be as intuitive as possible: users choose the nature of the problem that they are having from a list and the application then offers suggestions of services that could help them,” explains Senior Software Engineer Sami Suomalainen from the Emergency Response Centre Agency.
In addition to the new look, the 112 Suomi application now also boasts a number of new services. A feature developed in collaboration with the Finnish Heart Association shows users who have allowed the application to access their location the nearest defibrillator on a map.
“The chances of surviving a cardiac arrest are many times greater with timely access to CPR and a defibrillator. The locations of defibrillators are being compiled into a map service at defi.fi, and the same information is now also available through the 112 Suomi application. The application takes the location of the user’s nearest defibrillator from the defi.fi database, which the Finnish Heart Association co-manages with the Finnish Red Cross and the Finnish Resuscitation Council.”
Thanks to the latest update, users of the 112 Suomi application can now also get live traffic updates straight to their mobile telephone.
“Another new addition to the application is location-based live traffic updates, a service developed in collaboration with Traffic Management Finland. Users who have allowed the application to access their location can now view live traffic updates on their mobile telephone. The application’s list of notifications shows all the alerts that are active in the user’s area. The information is provided by Traffic Management Finland’s Digitraffic service.”
According to Suomalainen, the list of non-emergency telephone numbers included in the application has also been updated. The latest addition is the medical helpline 116 117, which gives advice on how to deal with sudden health problems and information about out-of-hours surgeries. The consultants can also refer callers to social services. The helpline is a social welfare and healthcare service provided by hospital districts and run by state-owned development company SoteDigi Oy.
The list of non-emergency telephone numbers in the application currently includes 11 numbers.
The latest update to the 112 Suomi mobile application was published on 28 May. Users need to update their application to benefit from the new look, new services and all the latest features.
Further information:
Emergency Response Centre Agency
Marko Nieminen
Director, ERC Services
marko.nieminen@112.fi
tel. +358 (0)29 548 1291
Emergency Response Centre Agency
Sami Suomalainen
Senior Software Engineer
sami.suomalainen@112.fi
tel. +358 (0)29 548 1467
Digia Plc
Sami Rantanen
Head of Industry, Public, Energy, Social and Healthcare Service, Telecom and Media
sami.rantanen@digia.com
tel. +358 (0)40 722 2920
Finnish Heart Association
Mari Blek-Vehkaluoto
Development Manager / Risk Identification and Timely Intervention
mari.blek-vehkaluoto@sydanliitto.fi
tel. +358 (0)50 325 5633
Traffic Management Finland Ltd.
Outi Huhtala
Communications Manager
tel. +358 (0)50 571 6299
outi.huhtala@tmfg.fi
Sotedigi
Leena Koivumäki
Project Manager, Medical Helpline 116 117
tel. +358 (0)50 365 5499
leena.koivumaki@sotedigi.fi