Editor’s note: The Astana Times continues a section featuring articles by our readers. As a platform that values diverse perspectives and meaningful conversations, we believe that this section provides space for readers to share their thoughts and insights on various topics that matter to them and the AT audience.
In an emergency, even simple decisions become difficult. Fear takes over. People panic. They may struggle to explain what happened, where they are, or what kind of help they need. Yet this is exactly the moment when we expect them to make the right decision quickly.
For me, this issue is deeply personal. I lost my sibling, and one of the factors was the delayed arrival of an ambulance. Since then, I have understood in the most painful way that emergency response is not simply about phone numbers or procedures. It is about time.
And sometimes, minutes can change everything. Kazakhstan already has a unified emergency number: 112. At the same time, people can call 101 for fire and rescue services, 102 for police, 103 for ambulance, and 104 for emergency gas services. So Kazakhstan does not need another emergency number.
The more important question is what happens after someone calls 112. Imagine a serious road accident. One person is injured and needs an ambulance. Another may be trapped inside a vehicle and require rescue assistance. Police may also be needed to secure the scene.
In such a moment, should a frightened caller really have to think about which agency is responsible for what? The system should make that decision. This is the real value of an integrated emergency response system. A single number is only the front door. What matters is what happens behind it: how quickly information moves, how agencies communicate, and whether the right services can be mobilized together when an emergency crosses institutional boundaries.
International experience offers a useful principle. In the United States, 911 provides access to emergency assistance from police, fire, or ambulance services. Across the European Union, 112 provides a common number through which people can reach police, ambulance, or fire services.
The systems behind these numbers are not identical, and Kazakhstan should not simply copy either model. But they share an important idea: the citizen should not need to understand the architecture of the government in order to ask for emergency help. Complexity should sit behind the system, not in front of the citizen.
Kazakhstan is already moving in this direction. My professional experience includes close cooperation with the Ministry of Emergency Situations, and through my work I have seen the importance placed on emergency preparedness and interagency coordination. Recent developments are particularly encouraging.
Kazakhstan has updated the rules governing coordination between 112 and other duty and emergency services. The framework covers interaction with police, ambulance and medical aviation, as well as other services that may need to respond to an emergency. Kazakhstan’s civil protection legislation also provides a foundation for 112 to interact with information systems and use relevant information from emergency services and government databases.