000 emergency
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000 (also known as triple-zero or triple-O) is the primary national emergency number in Australia.[1] The Emergency Call Service is operated by Telstra Corporation Limited as a condition of its telecommunications licence, and is intended only for use in life-threatening or time-critical emergencies. Other emergency numbers in Australia are 112 for GSM mobile phones — which is redirected to a 000 operator — and 106 for TDD textphones. 000 was also the emergency number in Finland and Denmark until introducing the 112 number in 1993.
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[edit] History
Prior to 1969, Australia had no national number for emergency services; the police, fire and ambulance services possessed many phone numbers, one for each local unit. In 1961, the office of the Postmaster General (PMG) introduced the 000 number in major population centres and near the end of the 1980s extended its coverage to nationwide. The number 000 was chosen for several reasons, one of which was that zero was closest to the finger stall on Australian rotary dial phones, so it was easy to dial in darkness.[2]
911 was previously considered as a potential emergency number, though existing numbering arrangements make this unfeasible due to homes and businesses being assigned numbers beginning with 911.[3]
[edit] Calling 000
Calling 000 connects the caller to a Telstra Emergency Call service centre operator who will then connect the caller to the emergency service operator. Telstra operators do not take any details or dispatch services; instead asking the caller "Police, Fire, Ambulance?" and their location if calling from a mobile phone. The caller is then connected to the state communications centre for the requested emergency service.
As soon as the emergency service operator takes the call, the caller location information is transferred to the emergency service and the Telstra operator will state the "job number" over the line. The emergency service operator will then take the details required to dispatch the emergency service.
The caller's address is usually available to emergency operators in Australia even if the number is "private". However, operators always ask for the address of the emergency to be stated and disregard the displayed address whenever possible to ensure an accurate location is provided.[4]
000 is a free call anytime anywhere within Australia. Dialing 000 (or 112) on most Australian GSM mobile phones will override any keypad lock, and if the caller's home network is out of range, the phone will attempt to use other carrier's networks. Interpreter services are also available.
Some 3G or GSM mobile phones sold in Australia will redirect other emergency numbers, such as 9-1-1 and 9-9-9, to 000, due to special configuration in their firmware.[3]
[edit] Issues
[edit] SES
As the Australian Communications and Media Authority does not regard State Emergency Service (SES) calls as life-threatening, the 000 number does not allow them to be contacted. Asking for the SES prompts a recorded announcement explaining how to proceed.
[edit] 2003 overload in Melbourne
On 3 December 2003, floods and storms in Melbourne caused a large influx of 000 calls, which prevented some calls from being answered immediately. This caused some users interviewed by authorities to believe that they had dialled the wrong number. A subsequent investigation recommended that a recorded announcement be set up to assure callers that their calls were being connected.[5] Callers to 000 are now greeted with a recorded message, which states "You have dialed emergency triple-zero. Your call is being connected." if the call is not answered within five seconds.[6]
[edit] "Triple Zero"
Emergency services and Australia's Communications Regulator prefer the phrase "triple zero" over "triple Oh" because of potential confusion and misunderstanding over keying the number when using alpha-numeric keypads, which could cause people to dial "666" in an emergency, not Triple Zero.
[edit] Remote Locations
One major obstacle in earlier 2009 [7] is the inability of operators of triple-0 to use GPS within GSM or CDMA systems to accurately locate distressed or injured persons using mobile phones visibly away from roads. Presently, operators must ask the caller exactly where they are. The answer to this needs to correspond to an existing road name, which may practically impossible for distressed person(s) some kilometres away from a road, prior the operator being able to send such details, allowing the relevant emergency service vehicle to be dispatched.
[edit] David Iredale
The Australian government has admitted to failings regarding the death of David Iredale, a high school student who died of dehydration in the bush near Katoomba in late 2006. [8] [9] Iredale made several calls for help to 000 prior to his death. [10]. Emergency services have been accused of inapproproiately handling Irdeale's calls; he was not provided with any medical advice, and operators were accused of being "pre-occupied" with obtaining a street address to send help to, despite the fact that Iredale was located in the bush. An inquest has been set up to investigate failings in the 000 system as a result of his death, which remains ongoing.
[edit] See also
- 111 Emergency phone number in New Zealand.
- 112 Emergency phone number across the European Union and on GSM mobile networks across the world.
- 119 Emergency phone number in parts of East Asia.
- 911 Emergency phone number in US and Canada.
- 999 Emergency phone number in Ireland, Poland and United Kingdom (where it works parallel to 112). Also an emergency number in several non-EU countries.
- Emergency telephone
- Emergency telephone number
- In case of emergency (ICE) entry in the mobile phone book.
[edit] References
- ^ "Triple Zero home page". Australian Government. http://triplezero.gov.au. Retrieved on 2007-11-19.
- ^ "History of the Emergency Call Services". ACMA. 2007-08-27. http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_100580. Retrieved on 2007-11-19.
- ^ a b "Emergency Call Services: Frequently Asked Questions. Can I call 911 in a life or property threatening time critical situation?". Australian Communications and Media Authority. http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_1695#911. Retrieved on 2008-08-27.
- ^ "ESTA Frequently Asked Questions". Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (Victoria). http://www.esta.vic.gov.au/?id=71. Retrieved on 2007-11-19.
- ^ "Telstra’s handling of calls to 000 on the morning of 3 December 2003" (PDF). ACMA. February 2004. http://www.acma.gov.au/acmainterwr/consumer_info/final_000_report.pdf. Retrieved on 2007-11-19. (page 9)
- ^ "Five-second recorded announcement (WAV)". ACMA. http://www.acma.gov.au/acmainterwr/consumer_info/000.wav. Retrieved on 2007-11-19.
- ^ ""Biker mates rue calling Triple-0" The Australian" (in English). The Australian. 2009-04-25. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,253828775013404,00.html. Retrieved on 2009-04-25.
- ^ http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,27574,25372569-5006009,00.html
- ^ http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25443377-2702,00.html
- ^ ""A mother's hope: it never happens to anyone else" The Sydney Morning Herald" (in English). The Sydney Morning Herald. 2009-04-25. Archived from the original on 2009-04-27. http://www.webcitation.org/5gLwY8QZk. Retrieved on 2009-04-25.
[edit] External links
- Australian Disaster Information Network: Triple Zero (000) - Australia's Emergency Call Service
- Australian Communications and Media Authority: Emergency Calls Service information
- Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (VIC)
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