Accessibility: The project of total conversation awarded by 112 emergency number associations

112 is the free of charge phone number to call emergency services throughout the European Union for urgent situations such as accident, aggression or fire, from fixed or mobile phones. The traditional voice telephony to reach emergency service is not yet suitable for all.

The European Emergency Number Association (EENA), which promotes the use of the single European emergency number, organised the 112 Awards Ceremony. One of the objectives of the event is to reward organisation having shown dedication to improve the accessibility of 112 for people with disabilities

For the 4th edition of the 112 Awards Ceremony, Gunnar Hellströmhas been rewarded for being the founder of a revolutionary project: the Total Conversation. This initiative allows communicating in each situation, may it be with a real-time text conversation, with sign language, with lip reading, with voice or with any simultaneous combination of these modes.

The European disability movement believes such a concept will improve the life of persons with disabilities:

If the telecom industry endorses the total conversation, millions of hard of hearing persons will benefit from another revolution in communication. When implemented with the 112 emergency number, the use of total conversation will save plenty of life in the European Union!” Rodolfo Cattani, EDF Executive Committee member