Hello everyone,
As an off-shoot to the landline question,I thought it could be useful to
look at information on the specific question of connecting to emergency
services using the different communication methods and devices out there.
ACMA has a very informative FAQ page that looks at the differences using
fixed landlines, V.O.P and mobile phones, as well as TTY and text based
calls. Although most of that information will be general knowledge to most
of you, I certainly learned some new facts. One of these was the
availability of the Emergency + app, which allows more accurate location of
where you are if you make a call from your mobile. I have now downloaded
the app. It is available for IOS and Android phones. The FAQ also
confirmed something I had learned from two personal experiences, which is
that it is easier for emergency services to pinpoint your location if you
make a 000 call from a landline than if you use a V.O.P service. I have
copied the FAQ list below but I would encourage you to visit this ACMA
link:
http://www.acma.gov.au/Citizen/Phones/Landlines/Reduce-unwanted-calls/emerg
ency-call-service-faq-i-acma
ACMA FAQ on Emergency Calls:
What is the emergency service number in Australia?
Triple Zero (000) is Australia's primary emergency service number and
should be used if urgent emergency assistance is required from either
police, fire, or ambulance services.
Australia also has two secondary emergency service numbers that only work
with particular technologies:
* 112 is the GSM international standard emergency number which can
only be dialled on a digital mobile phone.
* 106 is the text-based emergency number for people who are deaf, or
who have a hearing or speech impairment. This service operates using a
textphone (TTY) or a computer with modem access.
You should only call 000 when a situation is threatening to life or
property, or time-critical. If a situation is not urgent but does need the
attention of an emergency service organisation, you should obtain the
number of your local police, fire or ambulance service from the phone book
or by calling directory assistance.
What is the Triple Zero (000) Emergency Call Service and when should I call
it?
The Triple Zero (000) Emergency Call Service is an operator-assisted
service that connects you to the relevant emergency service organisation
(police, fire or ambulance). Telstra is currently responsible for answering
calls to the emergency service numbers 000 and 112, and transferring them,
with relevant associated information, to the requested emergency service
organisation.
You should only call 000 when a situation is threatening to life or
property, or time-critical. If a situation is not urgent but does need the
attention of an emergency service organisation, you should obtain the
number of your local police, fire or ambulance service from the phone book
or by calling directory assistance.
Can I call Triple Zero (000) from any type of telephone service?
Triple Zero (000) can be called from any fixed or mobile phone and certain
VoIP and satellite services.
Triple Zero can be called from any conventional 'handheld' satellite phone.
There are some limited exemptions for non-handheld satellite services
provided to commercial users on Inmarsat satellites - for example, the
shipping and aeronautical industries - where there is little or no
expectation that 000 will be accessible. Customers of exempt satellite
services must be notified about not having access to 000. The exemptions do
not include conventional handheld satellite phone services marketed to the
general public.
Triple Zero can also be called using the Emergency+ app with a smartphone.
A significant advantage of using the Emergency+ app to call 000 is that if
you do not know your exact location, it uses the existing GPS functionality
of your smartphone to enable you to provide emergency call-takers with your
location information as determined by your smartphone.
The Emergency+ app is available to download free of charge from the
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.threesixtyentertainment.
nesn> Google Play store and
<https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/emergency-+/id691814685?mt=8> Apple App
store.
Will I be charged if I call Triple Zero (000)?
No. Calls to 000 are free from any kind of phone.
What happens when I dial Triple Zero (000)?
When you dial 000 you will first hear the recorded message 'You have
dialled emergency Triple Zero. Your call is being connected.' Your call is
then answered by a Telstra operator who will ask whether you require
police, fire or ambulance. Depending on whether you use a mobile, fixed
line, voice over internet protocol (VoIP) service or a payphone to call
000, you may also be asked to provide details of the state and town you are
calling from. The operator will then connect you to the emergency service
organisation you have requested and will stay on the line with you until
the call is answered.
In extreme events, such as major bushfires or storms, there may be a short
delay in answer due to an unexpected influx of calls. You should stay on
the line in these instances otherwise you will lose your place in the
queue.
When you dial 000, the most important thing to remember is to stay focused,
stay relevant and stay on the line. Further information about making an
emergency call can be found at <http://www.triplezero.gov.au/>
www.triplezero.gov.au.
How will the operator know where I am when I call?
When you call 000, your address details that are stored in the
<http://www.acma.gov.au/Industry/Telco/Numbering/IPND/integrated-public-num
ber-database-numbering-i-acma> Integrated Public Number Database will
automatically appear on the operator's screen and be passed on to the
emergency service organisation you request. Therefore if you call 000 from
a fixed service, your location is automatically known to the operator,
although you may still be asked to confirm what town and state you are
calling from.
However, if you call 000 from a mobile phone or VoIP service your exact
location is not automatically available to the operator. This is because
your home or billing address stored in the IPND may not be the location
from which you are calling. You will therefore need to provide the operator
with as much information about the location of the emergency, including the
town/suburb and state.
The Emergency+ app can assist you if you do not know your exact location
when you call 000. It uses the GPS functionality of your smartphone to
enable you to provide call-takers with your location information as
determined by your smartphone. The Emergency+ app is available to download
free of charge from the
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.threesixtyentertainment.
nesn> Google Play store and
<https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/emergency-+/id691814685?mt=8> Apple App
store.
The Emergency Call Service is currently not capable of automatically
receiving location information more accurate than the mobile service area
if you call 000 from a mobile phone. This information is very broad and is
unlikely to assist emergency service organisations locate you in an
emergency. More information about
<http://www.acma.gov.au/Citizen/Phones/Mobile/Emergency-calls-from-mobiles/
calling-the-emergency-call-service-from-a-mobile-phone--faqs> calling the
Emergency Call Service from a mobile phone and
<http://www.acma.gov.au/Citizen/Phones/Mobile/Emergency-calls-from-mobiles/
key-issues-to-consider-before-getting-voip> key issues to consider before
getting VoIP is available.
How do I know if my address details stored in the IPND are correct?
To check that your address details in the IPND are accurate, or to request
an update following a change in your details, you should contact your
carriage service provider. If you have difficulty checking or updating your
address details with your phone company, you can contact the
<mailto:ipnd@xxxxxxxxxxx> ACMA to assist you. Having up-to-date details in
the IPND will enable more efficient dispatch of the appropriate emergency
service organisation (police, fire or ambulance).
Will updating my White Pages entry also update my IPND record?
No. The White Pages does not utilise IPND data. If you make a change to
your White Pages entry, it will not flow through to the IPND. You should
contact your carriage service provider directly to ensure your IPND record
is also successfully updated.
How do I contact emergency services if I have a hearing or speech
impairment?
People who are deaf or have a hearing impairment and use a TTY can call a
text based Emergency Call Service by dialling 106. The 106 service is
provided as a part of the
<http://www.relayservice.com.au/making-a-call/emergency-calls/> National
Relay Service (NRS).
When you call 106, the operator will connect you with the appropriate
emergency service organisation (police, fire or ambulance). The 106 service
is not currently accessible via mobile text or SMS messaging.
The text based internet relay service for people who are deaf or have a
hearing impairment and a voice based service for people with speech
impairment are also provided as a part of the NRS. Users of these services
can request that a call be made to the Triple Zero emergency service, for
connection with the appropriate emergency service organisation (police,
fire or ambulance).
What if I am unable to speak to the operator?
A Caller No Response (CNR) initiative for the 000 Emergency Call Service is
in place to help genuine callers receive emergency response even if they
are unable to speak. All calls where the caller does not respond to the
operator's question 'Emergency. Police? Fire? Ambulance?' are directed to
an interactive voice response (IVR) unit. Callers directed to the IVR unit
are asked to press '55' if they require emergency assistance. If a caller
does not press '55' after three requests from the IVR the call is
disconnected.
Callers who press '55' are connected to the police in the appropriate state
by the operator. If the caller is still unable to speak, the police will
attempt to call back and might also dispatch a patrol car to the caller's
address. The address used to dispatch a patrol car is the address stored in
the IPND (which would usually be either your home or billing address). It
is therefore important that your carriage service provider has your most
up-to-date address details for your phone services.
Does a power outage affect my ability to call Triple Zero (000)?
Yes, depending on the type of service and phone you are using to call 000.
Cordless telephones are dependent on a power source, therefore if there is
a power blackout you will not be able to call 000.
VoIP services are dependent on access to the internet, either through a
computer or a broadband modem. If there is a power outage that affects the
power supply to the computer or the broadband modem, the VoIP service will
not be available. This includes calls to emergency services on 000 or 106
for people with speech or hearing impairments that use a TTY or modem.
Regular, non-portable fixed line telephones that can be plugged directly
into a phone socket normally receive their power direct from the phone
network in the event of a blackout. This allows for ongoing availability of
telephone services, including calls to emergency services. You may wish to
consider having a spare non-portable telephone in your house or work in the
event of an emergency in a power outage.
Can I call 911 from a fixed line in an emergency?
No. 911 is used by emergency services in the United States but cannot be
used to call the Emergency Call Service in Australia.
Telephone numbers beginning with the 911 prefix (for example, 02 911x xxxx)
have already been allocated by the ACMA and are being used by individuals
and businesses. This means that if 911 is dialled, the system only
recognises these digits as the first part of an existing number. Any
diversion to the Emergency Call Service after 911 has been dialled is
therefore not possible.
Can I contact my State Emergency Service (SES) by calling Triple Zero(000)?
No. Calls to 000 can only be transferred to police, fire or ambulance
services. The telephone number for all SES units is 132 500, except in the
Northern Territory where there is no state-wide telephone number.
What if I can't speak English and need to call Triple Zero (000)?
Currently the 000 Emergency Call Service does not have the facilities to
translate different languages at the point of answer.
If a caller to 000 is unable to speak English their call is transferred to
the capital city police in the state they are calling from. The call will
be transferred to the relevant emergency service organisation if the
individual can only speak the words 'Police, Fire or Ambulance' but cannot
give address details or explain the situation. Once connected to police, or
the nominated emergency service, a translator will be organised if one is
not immediately available.
What does the ACMA have to do with emergency services?
The ACMA regulates and monitors the provision of emergency call services.
By law, the ACMA makes sure that the Emergency Call Persons (Telstra for
000 and 112 and ACE for 106), carriers and carriage service providers are
meeting their responsibilities and obligations. Find out more about
<http://www.acma.gov.au/Industry/Telco/Carriers-and-service-providers/Emerg
ency-call-service/the-acma-emergency-call-services-emergency-call-service-i
-acma> the ACMA's role in relation to emergency call services. The ACMA's
regulatory role does not extend to the emergency service organisations that
provide the emergency response.
What is the benefit of using the Emergency+ smartphone app to call Triple
Zero (000)?
A significant advantage of using the Emergency+ smartphone app to call 000
is that if you do not know your exact location, it uses the existing GPS
functionality of your smartphone to enable you to provide emergency
call-takers with your location information as determined by your
smartphone.
The Emergency+ app also contains the contact numbers and a short
explanation of when to call non-emergency numbers such as the Police
Assistance Line (131 444) and the SES national number (132 500). This is
to help you to dial the correct number and reduce the number of calls to
Triple Zero that should be directed to another service.
The app was developed by the Triple Zero Awareness Work Group, a national
body that represents emergency call-taking agencies and the government and
industry partners throughout Australia.
The Emergency+ app is available to download free of charge from the
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.threesixtyentertainment.
nesn> Google Play store and
<https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/emergency-+/id691814685?mt=8> Apple App
store.
Cheers,
Gisele
Gisele Mesnage
email: giselemesnage@xxxxxxxxxxx
phone: 02 9799 5388
