Managing Accessibility in Romania’s 112 – Emergency Call Service

Management of emergency call systems to be effective relies on the timely and inclusive reach of every individual. Often, in Romania, people with hearing and speech impairments face barriers when accessing the local emergency number (112). This paper looks at the data, regulations, and reports published on assistive technologies within Romania’s emergency call management using a systematic literature review between 2015 and 2024. It examines Romania’s 112 emergency call system, with a more in-depth lens on individuals with hearing and speech impairments. Romania introduced the Short Message Service at emergency number 113 in 2015, but only 11.75% of hearing-impaired people were registered eight years later, mainly because of the pre-registration system, low digital literacy, and socioeconomic disparities. The study compares the Romanian service with the one in the United States, Text-to-911, or the service in the United Kingdom, Emergency Short Message Service, to identify good practices for integrating assistive technologies. The article examines the resource allocation and the system’s efficacy, and financial and operational metrics governing the 112 emergency call system in 2024, in the context of increasing demands. The analysis points out the role of emergency services in the public safety system, proposes an assessment of funding and user experience, and recommends investing more in the potential of assistive technologies to enhance the inclusivity of emergency response. In addition, the ongoing research advocates for more actionable policies that could contribute to the dialogue on inclusive and accessible emergency response systems.