This morning, Minister for Home Affairs and National Security, Carmelo Abela visited the 112 Day awareness campaign organised by the Malta Police Force in collaboration with the Civil Protection Department, the Armed Forces of Malta and the Accident & Emergency Department (Mater Dei Hospital), at City Gate Valletta.

In 2014, the 112 free service received around 500,000 calls with over 22,000 of these being wrong numbers and over 7,000 calls being hoaxes. The highest number of calls was received during the month of August with the total number of incoming calls being around 50,000 calls and the lowest number of calls was received in February with the total number being around 36,000 calls.

Minister Abela appealed to the general public to use, but not abuse the emergency line and remarked that when calling 112, the most essential details should be provided immediately, in order to get the message across fast.

The Minister thanked the four entities for their continuous hard work and dedication at saving people’s lives, properties or the environment in critical times. Police Commissioner Michael Cassar stated that the unit would be setting up a new number to cater for people with special needs, such as those who are hard of hearing and are unable to make an emergency call.

In such cases, a text message can be sent to 79770112 and this would come up on the screens of staff manning the emergency number.

To commemorate this day, the Malta Police Force published a promotional spot which can be viewed below:

Photograph: DOI/Omar Camilleri

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