If you’re planning on going to Sweden, this is a number you might want to remember: 113 13. This is the new alarm number to call in order to get answers to questions regarding accidents and crises. If you are in an emergency situation, however, the old alarm number – 112 – is still valid. On Monday, March 11, at 8 am, the new phone line for 113 13 opened, and it didn’t take long before it was operating. “We’ve already received calls. Both questions and prank calls,” said Anders Klarström, Press Officer at SOS Alarm, two hours after the phone line opened. The purpose of the 113 13 number is to take some pressure off the 112 line. When an earthquake took place in Sturup some years ago, 1 500 people called 112. “We had to call back to examine if any of them had been emergency calls,” explained Klarström. “But all calls had come from people who were just worried. The 113 13 line also cannot handle 1 500 phone calls in just an hour, but Sweden needs another number for this type of information. But if a person at all hesitates, then he or she should still call 112.” The new number 113 13 is national and since SOS Alarm works with authorities and others, all information is verified. “We know what happens all over the country,” said Klarström.