A couple from Graz tried in vain to get help via an emergency call app for a medical emergency. It was only when the victim’s wife dialed 144 after waiting for 15 minutes that an ambulance was dispatched.
In Austria, there has been a mobile phone app for several years that allows you to make emergency calls. Behind it is the non-profit organization Notruf Niederösterreich GmbH, which forwards incoming emergency calls to the responsible state control centers. One advantage of the app is that the exact location of the person in need is passed on.
15 minutes wasted
In July, a man from Graz used it when his airways were swollen due to an allergy and he suffered from acute shortness of breath. A telephone response indicated that rescue was on the way. The man and his wife waited in vain for 15 minutes. Then the Grazer’s wife called the emergency number 144 and within ten minutes help arrived – fortunately in time.
Still, those affected are angry. “Of course I deleted the app from all my family’s mobile phones,” says the Grazer’s son.
Error during data transfer
How could this horrifying accident happen? The app operator Emergency Call NÖ explains that the alarm worked and was also forwarded to the control center of the Styrian Red Cross. There was only a “short delay”.
“In this case, there was actually an error in the data transmission. We regret that very much. After the emergency call was received via the emergency number 144, the rescue chain worked reliably as usual,” says the regional association of the Styrian Red Cross – they are currently working on optimizing the data transmission.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
