hätäpuhelut

Hätäpuhelut, or emergency calls, are telephone communications made to official emergency services to report life-threatening situations or request urgent assistance. They are handled by emergency dispatch centers that coordinate response from police, fire services, medical care, and other authorities as needed. In Finland, the national emergency number is 112; calls are answered through the 112 Suomi system and routed to the appropriate authorities, such as poliisi (police), pelastuslaitos (fire and rescue), and sairaankuljetus (emergency medical services).

During a hätäpuhelu, the dispatcher will ask for information to determine location and the nature of the incident. Typical details include the caller’s address or precise location, a contact phone number, the type of emergency, the number of people involved, and any hazards or injuries. The dispatcher may provide lifesaving instructions, such as CPR steps or guidance on keeping people safe until responders arrive. If the caller cannot speak, there may be options to send a message or to use location data to locate the caller, depending on the local system.

Guidance for callers includes staying calm, speaking clearly, and providing accurate information. Do not hang up until the dispatcher instructs you to do so, and move to safety if possible while giving updates as needed. Hätäpuhelut should be reserved for genuine emergencies; for non-urgent matters, contact non-emergency numbers or local authorities. Misuse of emergency numbers can carry legal penalties and may delay help for those in real need.