Useful number to have handy.

[Nolly]

Don't know if you're aware of it, or if it's been posted before. Even so it does'nt do any harm to post it again for the benefit of people heading off abroad.
An emergency number exists in all of Europe, (112) it can be used from any mobile or landline and in any language. I've had first hand experience of this in France when a client locked his keys in his car. It was on a weekend which did'nt help, but within the hour an auto locksmith was on the scene and soon after our client was on the road.
Check out these websites for info on what country you are visiting. SOS 112 Europe & www.ec.europa.eu/information_society/
Nolly.

 

[Nolly]

Yes *****, you are correct, but it's not so widely known or used in the UK by us brits, but of course other Europeans will know of it.
We always made sure that our clients were aware of it in France mainly because of being able to get assistance in their own language, ie English. Think you'll agree, it's a handy piece of kit when in foreign parts, and of course like all emergency numbers its free.
Nolly

 

[Captain]

Hi Nolly,

A good number to have, but can you just clarify that in Europe they would treat this as an emergency?

A mate of mine works on a 999 switchboard and would have some choice langauge if someone blocked a telephone line because they had locked their keys in the car.

I appreciate to some, being in another country and breaking down or losing your keys may be 'an emergency', but I think in this country it has to be imminent danger to life.

 

[Nolly]

Hi Nolly,

A good number to have, but can you just clarify that in Europe they would treat this as an emergency?

A mate of mine works on a 999 switchboard and would have some choice langauge if someone blocked a telephone line because they had locked their keys in the car.

I appreciate to some, being in another country and breaking down or losing your keys may be 'an emergency', but I think in this country it has to be imminent danger to life.

Hi,
You are not ringing the emergency services direct. This number puts you through to a call centre with specially trained operators who speaks your language and than decides on which action to take. ie police, fire, ambulance, mountain rescue ect. In our case they contacted the auto locksmith direct. We found them really helpful and friendly with assisting a tourist in distress. Would 'nt like to say if we would have received the same response had we have called to check on the weather.
Nolly.

 

[Deleted member 967]

Hi,
You are not ringing the emergency services direct. This number puts you through to a call centre with specially trained operators who speaks your language and than decides on which action to take. ie police, fire, ambulance, mountain rescue ect. In our case they contacted the auto locksmith direct. We found them really helpful and friendly with assisting a tourist in distress. Would 'nt like to say if we would have received the same response had we have called to check on the weather.
Nolly.

Does anybody know if these calls to 112 are chargable?

If I dial 999 on my mobile I am told the call is chargable at the normal call rate and I am told to stop the call if I do not wish to pay.

 

[Nolly]

Does anybody know if these calls to 112 are chargable?
It's totally free, Take a look at the websites which I posted gives all the info.
Sorry if I gave anybody the impression it's a general info number which it's not, I just wanted to give you an example of an instance in France on a weekend when somebody who could'nt speak the language had a problem, and these people were more than happy to assist. We could have called the police and got the same response, (after crossing the language barrier) as they hold the same info on emergency numbers.
I did'nt wish to mislead anybody thats why I posted the webbsites so as you can see for yourselves. Hope it's of some help.