Around 86% of Britions do not know of the 112 emergency number - Polidicks

[B]Most people do not know the number to call in the event of an emergency on holiday in Europe, a survey suggests.[/B] The Foreign Office poll of more than 2,000 people in the UK found that[B] just 14% were aware the 112 number could reach the emergency services[/B]. Some [B]12% thought it connected to directory enquiries[/B], while others believed it was [B]a brand of perfume, the number of a bus or type of jeans[/B]. The Foreign Office's Lynda St Cooke said knowing the number could be vital. She told the BBC: "[B]112 works right across the EU and in a few other countries too. In a lot of countries you can even use English, because it will take you through to a particular call centre where there will be English-language operators.[/B] "It works in the UK as well, you can use it in parallel with 999, which is the same in a number of EU countries but some have adopted it as their only emergency number." Only 3% of those surveyed knew 112 was the EU emergency number, making the [B]UK one of the bottom three countries in Europe for awareness of the service[/B]. Ms St Cooke, from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office's Know Before You Go campaign, added: "We were quite stunned to find that only 14% of people knew that dialling 112 will reach the emergency services and only 3% recognised that it was the EU emergency number." She said Ukraine would be using the 112 number in its cities which are hosting matches in the Euro 2012 football championship this summer. [B]The survey was conducted to coincide with European 112 Day, which is on the 11th day of the 2nd month of the year.[/B] [URL]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16995228[/URL] Happy 112 day

Needs advertisement them. Make the People aware that it exists.

[quote]Some knew about the red light on cars, but not Dialing 112. It was about 1:00 p.m. in the afternoon, and Lauren was driving to visit a friend. An UNMARKED police car pulled up behind her and put his lights on. Lauren's parents have always told her to never pull over for an unmarked car on the side of the road,but rather to wait until they get to a gas station, etc. Lauren had actually listened to her parents advice, and promptly called,112 on her cell phone to tell the police dispatcher that she would not pull over right away. She proceeded to tell the dispatcher that there was an unmarked police car with a flashing red light on his rooftop behind her. The dispatcher checked to see if there were police cars where she was andthere weren't, and he told her to keep driving, remain calm and that he had back up already on the way. Ten minutes later 4 cop cars surrounded her and the unmarked car behind her. One policeman went to her side and the others surrounded the car behind. They pulled the guy from the car and tackled him to the ground. The man was a convicted rapist and wanted for other crimes. I never knew about the 112 Cell Phone feature. I tried it on my AT&T phone & it said, "Dialing Emergency Number." Especially for a woman alone in a car, you should not pull over for an unmarked car. Apparently police have to respect your right to keep going on to a safe place.[/quote] Someone posted this on Facebook just the other day and it's an interesting story. I didn't know about 112 til I read this. It's actually a really useful number.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0usJCEUgWyM[/media] First thing i thought of.

To be honest it's not advertised alot.

I was not aware of this; I am now enlightened on the subject of emergency call numbers.

In america the 911 number is on every police car in large font

112 is the only dutch emergency number.

[QUOTE=meppers;34652505]In america the 911 number is on every police car in large font[/QUOTE] We have this, people still didn't know: [img]http://www.ukemergency.co.uk/fire/dsc07293.jpg[/img]

I don't know a single person here in the US that doesn't know our 911 emergency number. Not one. Most children even know it.

[QUOTE=meppers;34652505]In america the 911 number is on every police car in large font[/QUOTE] This isn't the same as 911 is it? I'm fairly sure almost everyone knows our equivilent of that, 999. So 112 is a Europe wide emergancy number?

[QUOTE=ForgottenKane;34652543]I don't know a single person here in the US that doesn't know our 911 emergency number. Not one. Most children even know it.[/QUOTE] It's a good system. The 911 number is drilled into children's heads starting in school. Within the first year, most american kids will have seen at least one convention where the local fire department does a bunch of safety teachings and they commonly do it again each year, so that by elementary school nearly every child will know 911 and "Stop, drop, and roll" Does the UK do something like that?

Everyone here knows of the 999 emergency number which will only work here, but not of the 112 which works in most of Europe.

Why can't we just use 999?

I.. just can't imagine something like this, how can one not remember 112? Jesus.

Wow, people being ignorant in a country that [I]isn't[/I] the United States? Impossible.

[QUOTE=Mr.T;34652609]I.. just can't imagine something like this, how can one not remember 112? Jesus.[/QUOTE] Because Britain has always used 999, which is the number everyone remembers.

Swedish emergency number was 90000 before we changed to 112 :v:

If I was over in Britain and run into an emergency situation, I'd be calling 112 and not 999, because hell, that's what I've been taught. But I'd probably remember to call 911 if I was in America.

Reminds me of the episode of the Simpsons where Homer joins that secret organization.

i didn't know about this number till about a week ago but i'm pretty sure the entire population know about 999

[QUOTE=carcarcargo;34652601]Why can't we just use 999?[/QUOTE] Because that only works in Britain, and this is about British people on holiday in Europe

[QUOTE=matt.ant;34652819]Because that only works in Britain, and this is about British people on holiday in Europe[/QUOTE] Yeah but while I'm in Britain I'd rather keep 999 since personally I just remember it better.

New Zealand's the easiest to remember. 111

What's the number to 911?

quite good [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILxjxfB4zNk[/media]

[QUOTE=ForgottenKane;34652543]I don't know a single person here in the US that doesn't know our 911 emergency number. Not one. Most children even know it.[/QUOTE] That's because it's their emergency number. I am sure the UK knows that theirs is 999. This is about 112 being used in the EU.

[QUOTE=Scrimp;34652475]To be honest it's not advertised alot.[/QUOTE] Adblock master race

[QUOTE=Wake;34652589]It's a good system. The 911 number is drilled into children's heads starting in school. Within the first year, most american kids will have seen at least one convention where the local fire department does a bunch of safety teachings and they commonly do it again each year, so that by elementary school nearly every child will know 911 and "Stop, drop, and roll" Does the UK do something like that?[/QUOTE] Germany does, although with 112 obviously.

I'm not really seeing the problem; from what I understand they didn't even survey people on vacation from Britain in the EU, just people in Britain. That's like saying it's bad that the vast majority of Americans don't know the Canadian or Mexican emergency number, even if they may never go to the country. Still, it does bring up a good point one should know local emergency numbers when going on vacation in different countries.