Number of non-emergency calls to 112 emergency helpline - below 50 pct; "APEL 112" application downloads up significantly

The number of non-urgent calls to 112 emergency telephone number have dropped this year below 50 per cent, and downloads of the "APEL 112" [CALL TO 112] application increased significantly in the past couple of days, in the aftermath of what happened in Caracal, the data released by the Special Telecommunications Service (STS) on Sunday informs. 

"For the first time since the launch of the 112 emergency helpline, in 2019 the number of non-emergency calls dropped below 50 per cent. The total number of calls received by the 112 emergency helpline since the beginning of this year until 01.07.2019 is 5,715,753, among which 2,989,280 were emergency calls and 2,726,473 of non-emergency calls. In the interval between 20.07.2019 and 31.07.2019 there were registered 403,886 calls to 112, 192,751 of which were non-emergency calls," specified STS. 

According to the same source, 196,332 calls, of which 95,701 were non-emergency calls, were recorded over July 20-25 2019, and 207,554, of which 97,050 were non-emergency calls, over July 26-31 2019. 

"An important number of non-emergency calls were made from non-identifiable cards. (...) The drop in the number of non-emergency calls is due first of all to the citizens, who understood that it's important to call 112 only when they have an emergency," specified STS. 

In what concerns the "APEL 112" application, it was downloaded 145,640 times. There were 787 downloads registered in the July 20-25 interval and 122,071 in the July 26-31 period. 

The application, "APEL 112" continues to register a large number of downloads, most of them made on 26.07.2019, namely 40,134," reads the release.