It's the dominance of US culture that the number 9-1-1 has become synonymous to emergency.

But today 9-1-1 is better remembered for 9/11 terror attack.

World over there are different emergency numbers in use like 999 in UK or 000 in Australia.

In India, there was no single emergency number so far. 1-0-8 was used for general emergency and 1-0-0 for calling police, 1-0-1 for emergency ambulance, 1-0-2 for fire, 1090 for women helpline, 1098 for child helpline etc.

Pan-India Emergency No. launched

Last month, India launched 112 as a unified number for Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) across 16 States / UTs.

Now this single number viz. 112 can be dialed for any emergency. Currently the service has been initiated in following States and Union Territories:
Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, UP, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Andaman, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, J&K.

Aside this, this service was already functional in the State of Himachal Pradesh.

This service will be extended to all of India soon.

Now people won't need to remember multiple helpline numbers. All emergency services like Police, Fire, Ambulance, Women safety etc. will be connected by this single number through an Emergency Response Centre in the State. In case of emergency, anyone can dial 112 or or use Panic Button on their phones or use 112 India Mobile App.

To ensure women safety "SHOUT" feature has also been implemented in 112 India Mobile App to seek immediate assistance from registered volunteers.

Shouldn't there be one emergency number for the whole world?

112 number can be dialed from most mobile handsets even when he device is locked or even if you don't have sufficient balance to make a call or even when you are out of your mobile network's coverage area. The call will connect though any available network irrespective of its subscription.

The number 112 is soon becoming a universal number for emergency assistance. Most countries and carriers around the world map this number to emergency helpline. Even if you're in U.K., Australia or USA, chances are when you dial 112, your call will be automatically mapped or forwarded to their country's emergency number like 999, 000 or 911.

In U.S. and Canada too carriers like AT&T have started mapping calls to 112 to 911.

So why dial 9-1-1?

Let there be a single emergency number for the whole world.

Do we need a UN resolution for that?