Evolving models for handling emergency calls in Spanish and European dispatch coordination centers

Emergency call dispatch centers have changed greatly over the years leading up to the management and coordination centers we have today. This paper describes how those changes unfolded and the Spanish and European Union (EU) legislation that promoted them. We also describe case volume and response times for the single EU emergency number (112). Conclusions suggest that the Spanish model meets the requirements and challenges set forth in the Universal Service Directive of the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) and the cross-border cooperation process.