CALLING FOR HELP

Knowing how to call for help in a life threatening or emergency situation can be the difference between life and death. When calling for an Ambulance in Australia you call 000 from the home phone or a phone box, 112 from your mobile phone and If you are deaf or have a speech or hearing impairment you can call 106 using a textphone (TTY) or a computer with modem access, to request police, fire or ambulance assistance.

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There are a few simple steps to take when making an emergency call:

  • Stay calm and call from a safe location.
  • An operator will answer and ask you if you need Police, Fire or Ambulance.
  • Say the service that you require. If you are calling using a mobile or satellite phone the operator will ask you for other location information.
  • You will then be connected to the nominated emergency service operator, who will take details of the situation.
  • Stay on the line, speak clearly and answer the operator’s questions.
  • Give the nominated emergency service operator the details of where you are, including street number, name, nearest cross street, and locality. In rural areas it is important to give the full address and distances from landmarks and roads, not just the name of the property.
  • Don’t hang up until the operator has all the information they need.
  • If possible, wait outside at a prearranged meeting point or in a prominent location for emergency services to arrive to assist them to locate the emergency.
  • If you make an emergency call whilst travelling on a Motorway or on a rural road, identifying the direction you are travelling and the last exit or town you passed through will assist emergency services to correctly locate the incident.

If you need medical advice, ask to speak to an Ambulance Officer who will advise you of the treatments you need to perform. Do not stop any treatment until the Ambulance Officer tells you to do so, as they have to set up the equipment or prepare medications etc.

When the Ambulance arrives

The history, signs and symptoms you collected, the casualty’s condition when you found them and the treatment you have given and the effects the treatment had, are important details the Ambulance Officer needs to know.