11 February marks European 112 Emergency Number Day, a reminder of the importance of knowing when and how to use the emergency number.
In Luxembourg, emergency operators are increasingly handling calls in English, as non-Luxembourgish speakers make up a growing share of callers. To assess the situation, operators ask a series of questions tailored to the nature of the emergency, whether it involves a fire or a life-threatening incident.
“We never know why we are called,” emphasised Jérôme Gloden, one of the supervisors at the 112 emergency call centre.
Calls to 112 rose by 6% in 2024, with operators recording an average of 800 calls per day. Of these, around 200 result in an intervention.
The other 600 calls include people inadvertently dialling 112, either because their phones are not properly locked or because they pressed the wrong button. Some people also continue to call to enquire about which hospital or pharmacy is on duty, despite this information being available on the 112.lu website. According to Gloden, there has also been a concerning increase in the number of people calling to insult operators or going on long rants about the state of the world.
When dialling 112, callers are connected to an operator within an average of just seven seconds. The Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue Corps (CGDIS) staffs the centre with seven operators on duty 24/7, including a health officer and a nurse, whose expertise can be used in specific medical emergencies.
During large-scale incidents, such as the recent fire at Goodyear, additional personnel can be quickly mobilised to support operations. These reinforcements work from an adjoining room to avoid disrupting the normal workflow of the 112 call centre.
