Whether police, fire department or rescue services: from now on, everyone can be reached via app in emergency situations - "nora" makes it possible. The nationwide emergency call app was developed under the leadership of the North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry of the Interior and is available to download free of charge from the app stores.
Minister Reul: "A barrier-free emergency call is enormously important for the participation and sense of security of each and every individual in our country. First and foremost, nora is aimed at people who, for example, have a speech or hearing impairment and are therefore unable to use the voice emergency number 110 or 112. However, nora is basically an app for everyone in Germany."
People with speech and hearing impairments previously had access to an emergency fax and a sign language interpreting service (TESS-Relay). The interpreting service establishes communication between the emergency callers and the respective operations control center and translates. The emergency call fax must be sent from a location with a fax machine and requires a great deal of time and effort to answer questions from the emergency control center. A mobile emergency call is generally not possible via this system.
"Nora closes a gap here. The app adds a mobile component to the existing emergency call systems. We are offering our fellow human beings a great deal more safety and self-determination and I am proud of this result. However, the launch of the app is just the first step. We will continue to develop nora over the coming years to make it even better," said Reul.
The app is designed in such a way that an emergency call can be made in emergency situations without having to speak and even with little knowledge of the language. This emergency call via app then contains the most important information such as personal data, the location of the emergency and the type of emergency. The personal data remains stored on the smartphone and is only transmitted to the emergency services when an emergency call is made. Information such as age, gender, previous illnesses and disabilities can be entered on a voluntary basis.
Information on the specific emergency situation is requested in a maximum of five consecutive questions. Symbols, texts in easy language and intuitive user guidance help. In threatening situations where the emergency call should go unnoticed as far as possible, a "silent emergency call" is also possible. The location of the emergency is determined via the mobile device and transmitted together with the other information to the relevant control center. The emergency call app for police, fire and rescue services can be used throughout Germany. In addition to German, the app is also available in English.
On behalf of all federal states, the Business and Coordination Office for the Emergency Call App System of the NRW Ministry of the Interior organizes all matters relating to the emergency call app. The technical design and implementation as well as user support are provided by bevuta IT GmbH, based in Cologne. The project will cost NRW around 475,000 euros by 2021 in accordance with the Königstein Key.
