EMERGENCY

Hamsterchops · 22-10-2020 7:04pm #1

What number do you automatically choose?
...in Ireland.

999 or 112

lapua20grain · 22-10-2020 7:04pm

Both

Atlantic Dawn · 22-10-2020 7:04pm

Both work.

Sleeper12 · 22-10-2020 7:06pm

Hamsterchops wrote:

999 or 112

Post in boards first

Hamsterchops · 22-10-2020 7:08pm

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Post in boards first

Hi boards.ie my house is on fire

banie01 · 22-10-2020 7:09pm

Hamsterchops wrote: »

Hi boards.ie my house is on fire.

At last...

"Blast it with piss" is most definitely a viable option here!

Pigsaw · 22-10-2020 7:09pm

Hamsterchops wrote: »

Hi boards.ie my house is on fire

Look at this kunt with his own house

Tom Mann Centuria · 22-10-2020 7:10pm

Hamsterchops wrote: »

Hi boards.ie my house is on fire

Do you suspect immigrant or traveller involvement?

Hamsterchops · 22-10-2020 7:13pm

I suspect 999 is more popular with older posters and 112 with the youth?

Vote now.

Tom Mann Centuria · 22-10-2020 7:16pm

Hamsterchops wrote: »

I suspect 999 is more popular with older posters and 112 with the youth?

Vote now.

Well my 12 year old just said 112 when I asked him, so he's now banished to the shed.

Mr Meanor · 22-10-2020 7:16pm

banie01 wrote: »

At last...

"Blast it with piss" is most definitely a viable option here!

Alexa...emergency, will piss put my house fire out?

Sonic the Shaghog · 22-10-2020 7:17pm

Interestingly 911 works here too, is it due to many people just watching too much US television or is it to aid US tourists I wonder? Do any other nations emergency codes work here?

banie01 · 22-10-2020 7:21pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWc3WY3fuZU

Hamsterchops · 22-10-2020 7:29pm

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Both work.

Indeed they do, but which would you automatically choose?

bazz26 · 22-10-2020 7:32pm

Potential-Monke · 22-10-2020 7:43pm

The proper way of it (i've been told) is this:

999 - Immediate emergency, life or death situation, etc
112 - Needs some emergency service but not as life threatening
911 - People are stupid so this works too

Realistically, all 3 will get you through. The 112 is more European, 911 is obviously 'Merican, and 999 is our own one. But then, if you ahve a look at other countries, they're all over the place, with some having different numbers for police, fire and ambulance: Linky

Hamsterchops · 22-10-2020 7:56pm

Glad to see 999 way in the lead in this poll. Interestingly on yesterday's RTE News there was a lucky escape for older man on a cliff edge (his dog died) but he was rescued by emergency services, the RTE reporter then reminded us that in an emergency everybody should call 112.

No mention of 999 was made :cool:

dotsman · 22-10-2020 10:24pm

Potential-Monke wrote: »

The proper way of it (i've been told) is this:

999 - Immediate emergency, life or death situation, etc
112 - Needs some emergency service but not as life threatening
911 - People are stupid so this works too

Realistically, all 3 will get you through. The 112 is more European, 911 is obviously 'Merican, and 999 is our own one. But then, if you ahve a look at other countries, they're all over the place, with some having different numbers for police, fire and ambulance: Linky

Please amend the above as some people will read it and think it's true!

999 and 112 are the exact same. You end up talking to the exact same operator. No difference. The reason that people should get into the habit of using 112 is that this is the number you can use in any EU country (so you don't need to know the specific old number the country you are visiting used to use).

The only reason 999 still exists is for the elderly etc who may not remember 112 (especially in when in a panic) as they will have spent their life with 999.

In fact, 112 is deemed the better one as you can also text it apparently (I've never tried, so can't say for certain how effective it is). This is obviously an advantage if you are in a situation where you don't want to let someone hear you call the police (domestic violence situation etc) or if you are disabled (mute/deaf etc)

Rodney Bathgate · 22-10-2020 10:27pm

What about 999112?

corner of hells · 22-10-2020 10:28pm

Rodney Bathgate wrote: »

What about 999112?

And is Australia 666 ?

Sardonicat · 22-10-2020 10:30pm

dotsman wrote: »

Please amend the above as some people will read it and think it's true!

999 and 112 are the exact same. You end up talking to the exact same operator. No difference. The reason that people should get into the habit of using 112 is that this is the number you can use in any EU country (so you don't need to know the specific old number the country you are visiting used to use).

The only reason 999 still exists is for the elderly etc who may not remember 112 (especially in when in a panic) as they will have spent their life with 999.

In fact, 112 is deemed the better one as you can also text it apparently (I've never tried, so can't say for certain how effective it is). This is obviously an advantage if you are in a situation where you don't want to let someone hear you call the police (domestic violence situation etc) or if you are disabled (mute/deaf etc)

Elderly! I called 999 last week and I'm not feckin elderly! If its true you can text 112 that should be publicised more.

drake70 · 22-10-2020 10:36pm

dotsman wrote: »

Please amend the above as some people will read it and think it's true!

999 and 112 are the exact same. You end up talking to the exact same operator. No difference. The reason that people should get into the habit of using 112 is that this is the number you can use in any EU country (so you don't need to know the specific old number the country you are visiting used to use).

The only reason 999 still exists is for the elderly etc who may not remember 112 (especially in when in a panic) as they will have spent their life with 999.

In fact, 112 is deemed the better one as you can also text it apparently (I've never tried, so can't say for certain how effective it is). This is obviously an advantage if you are in a situation where you don't want to let someone hear you call the police (domestic violence situation etc) or if you are disabled (mute/deaf etc)

You need to register for the text function on 112

https://www2.hse.ie/emergencies/when-to-call-112-or-999.html#:~:text=There%20are%20two%20emergency%20numbers,any%20phone%2C%20free%20of%20charge.

Rodney Bathgate · 22-10-2020 10:38pm

corner of hells wrote: »

And is Australia 666 ?

No, that’s the devil’s direct line.

Hamsterchops · 22-10-2020 10:39pm

dotsman wrote: »

The only reason 999 still exists is for the elderly etc who may not remember 112 (especially in when in a panic) as they will have spent their life with 999.

The elderly?

In which case most voters on this poll must be elderly seeing as 999 is so far ahead

Pauliedragon · 22-10-2020 10:43pm

You can ring 112 from anywhere in the world it's the same as ringing 999 here.

Capt'n Midnight · 22-10-2020 11:03pm

Rodney Bathgate wrote: »

No, that’s the devil’s direct line.

And in Australia it's a local call.

dotsman · 22-10-2020 11:04pm

Sardonicat wrote: »

Elderly! I called 999 last week and I'm not feckin elderly! If its true you can text 112 that should be publicised more.

Hamsterchops wrote: »

The elderly?

In which case most voters on this poll must be elderly seeing as 999 is so far ahead

Well, I did say elderly "etc"...

...and by "etc", I meant people who may be a little slow on the uptake

Guys, 112 was rolled out almost 23 years ago as the default emergency number of this country. It is hardly a new fad! and it's only 3 feckin digits to remember!

As for the text option, yes it exists. But as Drake said above, you need to register first for some bizarre reason. But, as per the Garda website - there is no guarantee that the operator will pass on the info to the guards (only in Ireland)!

Sardonicat · 22-10-2020 11:30pm

dotsman wrote: »

Well, I did say elderly "etc"...

...and by "etc", I meant people who may be a little slow on the uptake

Guys, 112 was rolled out almost 23 years ago as the default emergency number of this country. It is hardly a new fad! and it's only 3 feckin digits to remember!

As for the text option, yes it exists. But as Drake said above, you need to register first for some bizarre reason. But, as per the Garda website - there is no guarantee that the operator will pass on the info to the guards (only in Ireland)!

Well, I suppose when we were kids it was always 'dial 999' and it's just ingrained. I can NEVER remember 112. I don't think it's about being slow on the uptake, more about how you react in an emergency with the adrenaline pumping. In those circumstances it will be the number you've heard reeled off and repeated since you were small.

PARlance · 22-10-2020 11:33pm

112 wouldn't have been half as much fun on a rotary phone.

KungPao · 22-10-2020 11:36pm

I call the operator and ask what the number for 911 is.

sdanseo · 22-10-2020 11:38pm

I've only used it once. 112 it was.

440Hertz · 22-10-2020 11:40pm

Sonic the Shaghog wrote: »

Interestingly 911 works here too, is it due to many people just watching too much US television or is it to aid US tourists I wonder? Do any other nations emergency codes work here?

911 doesn’t work here. Some local phone numbers even start with 911.

Some (not all) mobile handsets can translate 911 or Australian 000 into a 112 call.

112 and 999 are the only working emergency numbers here.

Also 112 will work if you don’t have a valid SIM card, or if your keypad is locked - overrides the pins on all phones.

A 112 call will also go to any available mobile network, if yours is not in coverage.

Basically when you dial an emergency number on a mobile phone it actually sends a specific emergency instruction to the network. It’s not just phone number. Enhanced 112 will also send your location information to the operator.

Greyfox · 22-10-2020 11:41pm

dotsman wrote: »

Guys, 112 was rolled out almost 23 years ago as the default emergency number of this country. It is hardly a new fad! and it's only 3 feckin digits to remember!

And the fact that loads of Irish people have forgotten about 112 tells you they should of just stuck with 999. I wish 999 was the only number, I'll have forgotton all about 112 in a few months. People can forget 3 digits when they go decades without having to use it.

sbs2010 · 22-10-2020 11:43pm

I had a discussion with a colleague once as to why 999 was chosen back in the day. He reckoned it was the fastest number to dial on a rotary phone but I reckoned it was the slowest - the dial took ages to spin back for another number for a 9.

So I reckoned 111 would have been much quicker. House would be ashes by the time you'd dialled 999. Maybe the Europeans were on to something with 112.

Not really an issue now of course.

JustAThought · 22-10-2020 11:44pm

Greyfox wrote: »

And the fact that loads of Irish people have forgotten about 112 tells you they should of just stuck with 999. I wish 999 was the only number, I'll have forgotton all about 112 in a few months. People can forget 3 digits when they go decades without having to use it.

999 all the way. Not an octaganerian.

440Hertz · 22-10-2020 11:48pm

They didn’t use 111 on a rotary dial phone because a line fault or a few taps on the hook could accidentally connect to it.

111 is used in New Zealand as the dials were different there. Ironically, reversed. 1 = 10 pulses and so on. So 111 there was a different and more complex pattern.

Landlines used “loop disconnect dialling” - each time you break the circuit quickly is counted as a dial pulse by the exchange. So tap, tap, tap on the receiver = 1 1 1 or, if there was a loose wire it could dial it.

To avoid that they used 999 as it was easy to remember & required deliberate action to call it.

112 was the German code originally, it was selected because it 11X codes were unused in most European countries, so it was easy to implement.

Also on push button phones having the same digit pressed 3 times risks accidental calls. That’s why the German and American approach uses more than 1 digit.

We had tons of problems here when Vodafone voicemail was 121. That’s why all voicemail was moved to 171. People kept dialling 112. It was literally causing huge numbers of calls to 112.

un5byh7sqpd2x0 · 22-10-2020 11:54pm

Pauliedragon wrote: »

You can ring 112 from anywhere in the world it's the same as ringing 999 here.

Europe, not the world.

440Hertz · 22-10-2020 11:57pm

Julien Many Labyrinth wrote: »

Europe, not the world.

On a GSM type mobile, it’s hardwired into the standard and works everywhere, including the United States. It just sends a “emergency call” which the network will just connect to whatever its emergency call service is e.g. 911 or 111 or 08 or whatever.

uch · 23-10-2020 1:24am

In emergencies I tend to prefer Cheesecake over all others

MrMusician18 · 23-10-2020 1:25am

Hamsterchops wrote: »

What number do you automatically choose?
...in Ireland.

999 or 112

The only time I dialed it was 112.

StupidLikeAFox · 23-10-2020 1:28am

They have changed it recently to 0118 999 881 999 119 725....3

This is it · 23-10-2020 1:45am

StupidLikeAFox wrote: »

They have changed it recently to 0118 999 881 999 119 725....3

Pretty sure you can email too

"FIRE...FIRE.... PLEASE HELP"

Wait, no.

"FIRE... PLEASE HELP... FIRE!"

Hamsterchops · 23-10-2020 4:31am

999 is hardwired into my brain, same with my wife, the kids also know to call 999 in an emergency!

911 makes me think Porsche

Graces7 · 23-10-2020 6:10am

PARlance wrote: »

112 wouldn't have been half as much fun on a rotary phone.

ah thank you! That is what we had when I was younger and yes! The sound of it!

112 is a new-fangled notion! lol..999 is IT!

Graces7 · 23-10-2020 6:13am

sbs2010 wrote: »

I had a discussion with a colleague once as to why 999 was chosen back in the day. He reckoned it was the fastest number to dial on a rotary phone but I reckoned it was the slowest - the dial took ages to spin back for another number for a 9.

So I reckoned 111 would have been much quicker. House would be ashes by the time you'd dialled 999. Maybe the Europeans were on to something with 112.

Not really an issue now of course.

Hyperbole much!

And 999 is easier to find and dial in the dark.

Victor · 23-10-2020 6:31am

sbs2010 wrote: »

I had a discussion with a colleague once as to why 999 was chosen back in the day. He reckoned it was the fastest number to dial on a rotary phone but I reckoned it was the slowest - the dial took ages to spin back for another number for a 9.

So I reckoned 111 would have been much quicker. House would be ashes by the time you'd dialled 999. Maybe the Europeans were on to something with 112.

Not really an issue now of course.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/999_(emergency_telephone_number)#History

The 9-9-9 format was chosen based on the 'button A' and 'button B' design of pre-payment coin-operated public payphones in wide use (first introduced in 1925) which could be easily modified to allow free use of the 9 digit on the rotary dial in addition to the 0 digit (then used to call the operator), without allowing free use of numbers involving other digits; other combinations of free call 9 and 0 were later used for more purposes, including multiples of 9 (to access exchanges before Subscriber trunk dialling came into use) as a fail-safe for attempted emergency calls, e.g. 9 or 99, reaching at least an operator.

stoneill · 23-10-2020 7:48am

440Hertz wrote: »

They didn’t use 111 on a rotary dial phone because a line fault or a few taps on the hook could accidentally connect to it.

111 is used in New Zealand as the dials were different there. Ironically, reversed. 1 = 10 pulses and so on. So 111 there was a different and more complex pattern.

999 was chosen because it was the least likely to be dialed accidentally on rotary phones.

Peregrinus · 23-10-2020 7:58am

corner of hells wrote: »

And is Australia 666 ?

In Australia it's 000. Pronounced "triple zero".

112 also works if you are using a mobile phone, but not with a landline.

Quantum Erasure · 23-10-2020 8:11am

banie01 wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWc3WY3fuZU

That's numberwang!

Hamsterchops · 23-10-2020 8:42am

corner of hells wrote: »

And is Australia 666 ?

666, I think that's the devil's number, isn't it...

😈
...

440Hertz · 24-10-2020 2:31am

stoneill wrote: »

999 was chosen because it was the least likely to be dialed accidentally on rotary phones.

Well, it was one of the least likely to be dialled accidentally.

111 was considered, but it’s too easy to accidentally dial due to a wiring fault, work on the line or someone repeatedly tapping the hook. (This is used in NZ but as I mentioned they had inverted dials. So 111 is actually pulsed out as 000 elsewhere - 10 pulses).

CEPT, now ETSI, which standardises European telecommunication systems introduced 112 in 1972. It’s been planned in for that long, as has 00 for international calls and so on. Some countries, like Germany, adopted it much earlier than others. The EU ultimately mandated its use to make contacting emergency services more straight forward and it’s baked into the GSM/3GPP standards, which have their origin in ETSI.

999 is actually a bit problematic nowadays, as it’s one digit pressed repeatedly on a keypad, which is really easy to do by say sitting on a phone or a kid playing.

Increasingly, landlines are irrelevant and rotary dial is, at this stage, a museum piece. I wouldn’t even think a lot of younger people will have ever used a dial phone. I would doubt many would even know how. It’s only ever seen in old movies and is about as familiar as telegrams or non-decimal currency.

It’s extremely unlikely 999 will ever be removed as the cost of mapping it to 112 is minuscule. However, 112 is the code that will be advertised as it’s the most useful & works in far more places.

EMERGENCY

What number do you call in an emergency? 122 votes

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*EMERGENCY*

What number do you call in an emergency? 122 votes

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EMERGENCY