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Canary Islands Emergency Services Report Increase in Incident Response During Christmas Period

The Canary Islands’ emergency response system saw a rise in incidents requiring mobilization of resources between December 24th and Christmas Day, while experiencing a decrease in non-emergency calls.

The Emergency and Security Coordinating Center (CECOES) 112, a vital service of the Canary Islands government, coordinated 632 incidents requiring emergency resource deployment from 10:00 p.m. on December 24th to 7:00 a.m. on Christmas Day. This represents a 6.04% increase compared to the 596 incidents managed during the same period last year.

However, the total number of calls received by the center decreased by 30.2%, falling from 2,424 in 2024 to 1,692 this year. This decline suggests a growing trend of responsible public usage of the 112 emergency number, with citizens increasingly reserving it for genuine urgent and emergency situations rather than inquiries or non-critical assistance.

Did you know? – The 112 emergency number is a common emergency telephone number that can be used free of charge in all European Union member states.

Sector-Specific Trends in Emergency Response

Analyzing the types of incidents reveals a nuanced picture. While most sectors experienced increased activity, security-related incidents – encompassing acts against property, public disorder, and violence – saw a 5.6% reduction, decreasing from 301 incidents last year to 284 this christmas Eve.

Conversely, several areas saw meaningful increases in demand:

• Accidents: Assistance related to traffic and other accidents surged by 82.1%, with 51 incidents recorded this year compared to 28 in 2024.
• Firefighting, Rescue, and Salvage: This sector experienced a 28.5% increase, responding to nine incidents compared to seven the previous year.
• Healthcare: Interventions related to illness,medical consultations,and patient transport grew by 6.5%, with 262 responses compared to 246 last year.
• Technical Assistance: A total of 26 incidents fell under this category, encompassing issues like landslides, fallen power lines, animal rescues, and water removal.

Pro tip – During the holidays, be extra cautious while traveling and participating in public events. Knowing the location of emergency exits and having a interaction plan can be vital.

Provincial Breakdown of Emergency Activity

The operational room in Tenerife handled 259 incidents, while the Gran Canaria operational room managed 373, indicating a higher volume of emergency activity in gran canaria during the observed period.

Looking ahead, CECOES 112 plans to continue promoting self-protection measures among the Canarian population. The center will disseminate video tips on social media under the “Safe Christmas” motto, featuring guidance from emergency professionals on mitigating risks during the holiday season, a time characterized by large public gatherings and celebrations.

These efforts underscore the commitment of the Canary Islands government to ensuring public safety and responsible emergency resource utilization throughout the holiday period and beyond.

Why: The Canary Islands experienced an increase in emergency incidents during the Christmas period (Dec 24th – dec 25th).
Who: the Emergency and Security Coordinating Center (CECOES) 112, a service of the Canary Islands government, coordinated the response. The Canarian population is the focus of preventative measures.
What: CECOES 112 responded to 632 incidents, a 6.04% increase from the previous year, while non-emergency calls decreased by 30.2%. Accidents, firefighting/rescue, and healthcare saw the largest increases in incident volume.
How did it end?: the period ended with CECOES