112 Service Operator: “At my first work day I felt uncertainty, fear and worry about my family members”

"Hello, this is 112 Service operator. What happens?” It is a standard phrase to start conversation with the recipient calling for help. That is how our working day begins, - Jamilya Arapova, 112 Service Operator told us.

We must understand what’s happened and where, whether an emergency assistance is needed. In case of road traffic accident, we ask if there are any victims, a fuel spill, and then we immediately send ambulance, firefighters or police to the place of the incident. In order to provide an urgent help, we need to stay calm and concentrated as possible as we can, especially when we receive a call from a person who wants to commit suicide. In this case, we should be able to address the right questions and delay the time until the arrival of the relevant services. “At my first work day I felt uncertainty, fear and worry about my family members,” recalled Jamilya Arapova during the training, which was held in Osh from January 21 to 23, 2020 at the Crisis Management Center under the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic. The training was organized within the UNDP project ‘Strengthening integrated risk governance capacities of the Kyrgyz Republic and regional cooperation in Central Asia’’ funded by the Government of Japan.

During the training, participants discussed the psychological peculiarities of human behavior in emergencies and the telephone communication of the 112 Service operators, depending on problem and age of the service receiver. Particular attention was paid to the culture of verbal communication when message is received from a person with suicidal behavior, rendering psychological assistance to stressful people, and conveying information to relevant operational services.

Interactive games were applied to work out action plan towards victims of gender-based violence: what questions are required to be asked and how to interact with such people.

The operators received recommendations on interacting with stressful people, right communication tactics, mental self-regulation techniques and methods that can help to prevent emotional burnout at work and vicarious trauma (Vicar trauma - a special type of secondary trauma, which happens to those who have to listen to terrible stories from people's lives. 

For reference:

Over 12 months of 2019, the Service 112 received over 50,000 calls related to various incidents, 400 of which were related to gender-based violence against women, children and men.

“Service 112” (Unified Duty Dispatch Service “112” under the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic) is aimed at solving the following problems:

• receiving calls by the number "112" (messages about incidents);
• analysis of incoming information about the incident;
• delivering information about incidents, including calls, to the duty dispatch services of emergency operational services in accordance with their competence for organizing an emergency response;
• registration of all incoming and outgoing calls (messages about incidents) by the number "112";
• maintaining a database of the main characteristics of the incidents (the beginning, completion and the main results of calls received.

In the Kyrgyz Republic, number 112 is a single emergency call number for:

• fire protection;
• emergency response;
• police;
• ambulance;
• emergency service gas network.

Calling 112 is free from both fixed and mobile phones, including public pay phones. Number 112 does not replace existing emergency numbers; you can also call 101, 102, and 103.

The role of UNDP in creating the “112” single number

In accordance with the country's priorities, UNDP in Kyrgyzstan provided a support to the Ministry of Emergency Situations in creating the Unified Information Management System in Emergencies and Crisis Situations. This system is comprised of the  Crisis Management Centers, the State Integrated Public Alert and Warning System and the Unified Duty-Dispatch Service “112”  In the framework of UNDP projects funded by the Government of Japan, the necessary equipment was purchased for establishment e the Unified Information Management System in emergency and crisis situations in Bishkek and Osh, covering Batken, Osh, Jalal-Abad and Talas regions.