Copenhagen's 112 Center Tackles Record Call Surge During Heatwave

Copenhagen's 112 call center fielded 6,150 calls over four days during the current heatwave, compared with a normal average of 850 calls per day. Emergency services now confront decisions on staffing rotations and call routing to maintain response times across the city.

The surge coincides with warnings from the Danish Emergency Management Agency that fire hazards remain very high in Copenhagen and most other parts of the country. Officials must decide whether to extend temporary measures already in place or shift resources toward prevention programs that target outdoor fires and heat-related illness.

Local access points remain fixed

Life-threatening emergencies still require a direct call to 112, while non-life-threatening medical issues route through the 1813 medical helpline before any visit to an emergency department. The 24-hour wards at Bispebjerg, Herlev, Hvidovre, Nordsjællands in Hillerød, Amager and Gentofte hospitals continue to operate under that protocol. A recent TDC Net outage showed that users without a working SIM card could still reach 112 by removing the card first, a step the company has repeated in public guidance.

All 112 calls stay free from any phone, including public pay phones, provided callers state their address and telephone number clearly. The Capital Region's out-of-hours service at 1813 also handles after-hours doctor visits through Lægevagten and directs patients to the appropriate hospital when needed.

Key decisions for the days ahead

Authorities will next determine how long to keep the current alert level in force and whether additional public messaging on fire risk and correct dialing procedures is required. Residents holding a yellow health insurance card retain full access to these services, while those without must still follow the same 112 and 1813 sequence for urgent cases. The Danish Emergency Management Agency's fire-hazard bulletin supplies the baseline for any further restrictions on open flames or outdoor activity.

Practical steps remain unchanged: dial 112 only for immediate threats to life and call 1813 first for other medical concerns. Callers who encounter network problems should remove their SIM card before attempting 112. These established routines form the immediate decisions facing both services and residents while the heatwave continues.