EENA 112

Our latest document, Accessible Emergency Communication via Relay Services, is now available. Authored by our Tech & Ops Committee vice-chair Thor Nielsen, it provides an overview of the operations of relay services across various EU countries, with a particular emphasis on video relay services (VRS). 💡 The document highlights technical standards and regulations shaping the provision of relay services, especially with the transition to Next Generation technologies. 💡 By examining the interaction between relay services and emergency services, the document analyses how technical and operational standards will influence accessibility in the future. Read the document here: https://lnkd.in/dF2SBZHQ

How can emergency communications requirements be effectively implemented? Part of the programme at our EENA 2025 Conference will explore the legislative and regulatory landscape affecting emergency services. The programme will highlight what is required to meet current needs and offer knowledge on preparing for the future. 💡 Our sessions will give practical guidance and examples on implementing key requirements, such as accessibility standards and eCall. ❓ We will examine the EU’s Delegated Regulation on emergency communications and the future direction of EU law to understand its implications for emergency services. Join us in Helsinki, Finland on 9-11 April 2025 for interesting discussions and insights on these important topics! Learn more and register here: https://lnkd.in/eaxv36mq

EENA calls for the establishment of a European Parliament Intergroup dedicated to Resilience, Disaster Management, and Civil Protection in an open letter, signed by our president Demetrios Pyrros. ➡️ The recent floods in Spain highlight persistent shortcomings in disaster risk management across the EU. While progress has been made with technologies like mobile public warning systems, there is an urgent need for a stronger European focus on resilience, disaster management, and civil protection. ➡️ EENA calls for a European Parliament Intergroup to facilitate collaboration between politicians, committees, and civil society, enabling shared lessons and better strategies. This political platform would address gaps in coordination, ensuring more effective risk management and stronger protection for EU citizens. The cost of inaction, as seen in Spain, is too high to ignore. Read the full open letter here: https://lnkd.in/dbW3FiSH

[Must-read article] "𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭; 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦", stated Gary Machado in his recent article. At Intersec, we fully endorse EENA 112's call to action to address #publicwarning far more seriously. It requires a combination of laws, technologies, protocols, multidisciplinary expertise, and infrastructure investment—all subject to true political will—to ensure operational robustness and resilience over time, safeguarding people and maintaining their trust in institutions. ➡️ Link to article: https://lnkd.in/eBY2jgcU #ew4all #safetyfirst

How do volunteer first responders for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests work in Europe's rural areas? Join our webinar on 12 November to learn about their experiences! 🚨 Many European regions alert volunteer first responders (VFRs) to out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs), enhancing the 'chain of survival.' While the benefits of VFR systems are clear in urban areas, less is known about their experiences and response times in rural settings. 💡 This webinar will present the findings of two studies, focusing on comparing response times in urban and rural areas and exploring VFR experiences and commitment to saving lives. Register for the webinar here: https://lnkd.in/dEdAMGq6

The latest EENA Update is here! This week, you can read about 🔶 The floods in Spain and inadequate public warning 🔶 A strike causing delays in 112 calls in Portugal 🔶 Armenia's plans to launch a unified 112-number 🔶 A law introducing AML entering into force in Poland 🔶 Our upcoming events and webinars and more! Read the newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/dftGzp85 To receive the bi-weekly newsletter straight to your email inbox, subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/dCKvbvjH

ETSI will host a webinar on 20 November on the results of their Next-Generation 112 emergency communications and NG eCall plugtests. 🚨 The plugtests, organised in Malaga, Spain in collaboration with EENA, offered vendors an opportunity to test their products against ETSI and EENA -developed use cases and diverse scenarios. ➡️ Find the webinar link on our website: https://lnkd.in/dEb_T-WM

The recent floods in Valencia are a tragic reminder that lives could have been saved had the alerting system been activated in time. In an OpEd, EENA's Executive Director Gary Machado underscores that public warning goes beyond technology; it requires a clear strategy with precise protocols. Despite advanced technology, Europe has seen preventable failures in public warning. After the catastrophic floods in Germany, Belgium, and Luxembourg in 2021, it became clear that warning systems must go beyond apps or minimal measures. Without robust activation procedures, lives are at risk, and public trust is compromised. In 2018, the EU mandated that all Member States deploy modern public warning systems, yet many still lack the clear protocols needed for timely activation. Spain’s recent tragedy highlights a broader issue: having the technology without the political will to implement it effectively undermines public safety. Public warning systems are not a luxury - they are a necessity to keep people safe. Read the full OpEd here: https://lnkd.in/dU-rtyWi

Our latest document, MCX in Public Safety, is now available. It provides a comprehensive overview of Mission Critical Services (MCX) standards and explores their integration with Next-Generation emergency call systems (NG112) to enhance public safety operations. ➡️ The document examines the standards and certification for MCX, highlights its critical role in emergency response, and addresses the infrastructure and interoperability needed for effective connection with NG112 systems. It also presents case studies and national initiatives that illustrate the application and benefits of MCX, while offering recommendations for future development and adoption. ➡️ By focusing on responder communication and advanced LTE/5G capabilities, this document demonstrates how integrated IP-based multimedia systems can improve situational awareness, accelerate response times, and ensure secure data sharing essential for modern emergency response. Read the document here: https://lnkd.in/dSs9GsNu

Adopted earlier this year, the EU Artificial Intelligence Act is an important piece of legislation to remain in control of the AI and reflect on how we train and use it. In that context, the legislation also has important impact on public safety professionals using AI systems. While adopted at the EU level, the legislation also have implications to other organisations outside of Europe and also serves as a reference for decision-makers everywhere in the World. On Thursday at 10:05AM (EST), I'll be explaining the impact of the EU #AIAct on public safety organisations at the 2024 Fall Member Meeting of iCERT- The Industry Council for Emergency Response Technologies, taking place in Arlington, VA (I will be joining virtually though). Looking forward to great chats on how to foster innovation on AI, while staying in control of it. https://lnkd.in/edw7QCvr