The emergency numbers you should always have in your mobile or iPhone

Apple has emergency features built right into the Apple Watch, iPad and iPhone, and they can easily contact 911 or help you get out of trouble. But in Australia this emergency number does not work in some handsets or even do not work at all. So which are the emergency numbers that you need to have in your iPhone or mobile to seek help in need. Find below the numbers you should always have them feed in your iPhone and other smartphones.

Number 000- For Ambulance, Fire and Police

Triple 000 is the emergency number in Australia that works for Ambulance, Fire and Police. The operator will ask you which of the three services you require and then contact the local service you need.

Note that dialling of this number depends on the nature of mobile handset and mobile network you are using which means that in some circumstances these calls are not as reliable as calls from the fixed network.

Problems that may be experienced when making a call from a mobile phone to the Emergency Call Service include:

• Bad reception, making it difficult for the emergency service operators to understand the caller
• Remote location may result in limited or no network coverage being available
• Insufficient battery
• Lack of precise location information about the call.

Special roaming capabilities of mobile phones when calling 000 mean that when you are out of your service provider’s coverage area but are in another carrier’s mobile phone network coverage area, your call will be carried on the other carrier’s network. However, it is important to realise that if there is no mobile coverage, you will not be able to reach the Emergency Call Service via a mobile phone, and alternative devices, such as personal location beacons (PLBs) should be considered. PLBs are equipped to send a distress signal with location details on a dedicated radio frequency that communicates with Search and Rescue operators.

If you do not know your exact location, using the Emergency+ smartphone app to call Triple Zero (000) can assist.  The app provides you with your GPS co-ordinates which you can tell the emergency call-taker, allowing them to pinpoint your location. The Emergency+ app is available to download free of charge from emergencyapp.triplezero.gov.au or from iTunes app store. This app works with iOS 6.0 or later compatible iPhone.

• You can call 000 without having to unlock the keypad or key-in a security-protection Personal Identification Number (PIN). However, you should check your handset manual for information regarding emergency call dialling.
• 000 calls are answered by a Telstra Operator who will ask which service you require – Police, Fire or Ambulance. The operator will ask relevant questions, and arrange an appropriate response from the local Police, Ambulance or Fire Service.

When calling Triple Zero from iPhone you should be prepared to provide as much information as possible to emergency service operators about the location of the emergency.

Some information about your location is provided to the operator when you call Triple Zero from a mobile phone. However, the accuracy of this information can be affected by factors such as obstructions to mobile reception or the number of mobile phone towers nearby. It should be noted that mobile location will only be possible where network coverage is present.

It would be advisable for people travelling into areas where mobile coverage may be poor or unavailable, to investigate carrying an alternative personal safety device. In remote areas, for example, a Personal Locator Beacon (or EPIRB – Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon) may be a suitable option.

Australia’s mobile networks cannot automatically transmit GPS data from a handset to an emergency service call-taker at present. If you do have a GPS enabled handset, you can however verbally convey your estimated geographic position to emergency services as this may assist them to locate you.

The app presents your location on your screen automatically, so you can provide it verbally to the emergency call-taker.  When activated, the built-in accessibility features will describe aloud what appears on-screen, so you can use the app without seeing it.

Mobile phone service providers have coverage maps available from their point of sale locations, and upon request. All the carriers (Optus, Telstra and VHA) have good coverage in the major population centres, but in regional areas only one or two of these are likely to provide sufficient network coverage.

In these areas, if your mobile phone service provider does not have network coverage for normal phone use, or to enable a 000 call to be made, a call to 000 will be carried if another carrier has sufficient network coverage in the area.

The most significant advantage of using the Emergency+ smartphone app to call Triple Zero 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.

Number 112- Secondary Emergency Number

Number 112 is a secondary emergency number that can be dialled from mobile phones in Australia.

Special capabilities, including roaming, once only existed when dialling 112, however mobile phones manufactured since January 2002 also provide these capabilities when dialling Triple Zero (000) to access the emergency call service. It is important to realise that if there is no mobile coverage on any network, you will not be able to reach the emergency call service via a mobile phone, regardless of which number you dialled.

Note that 112 call cannot be carried by satellite if there is no mobile coverage as satellite phones use a different technology and your mobile phone will not be able to access a satellite network.

If there is no mobile coverage, you will not be able to reach the Emergency Call Service via a mobile phone.

So you can dial 112 from your digital mobile phones or iPhones.

Number 911 not available on all phones

911 is used by emergency services in the United States. Not all mobile phones can access Australia’s Emergency Call Service by dialling 911. Though in some instances when calling Siri on your iPhone for emergency it dials 911  but it is not reliable to depend on this number.

You should use Australia’s primary emergency service number, Triple Zero (000) or the secondary emergency service number of 112 which can only be dialled on a digital mobile phone. While dialling 911 from some mobile phones may provide access to the Emergency Call Service, such access is not a formal feature of Australia’s telecommunications system and should not be relied upon in an emergency.

Some of the other important emergency numbers

Number 106: People with hearing or speech impairments should dial 106, a text-based emergency call service that operates using a TTY phone but does not accept voice calls or text messages.

Emergency Services (SES) – Telephone 132 500
Non Emergency Police – Telephone 131 444
131 126 – Poisons Information Centre [24 hours] 136 169 – Care Ring : 24 hour councelling service.
131 114 – Life Line : 24 hour service.
131 638 – Public transport & timetables.
131 176 – Accident Towing
9341 1040 – Dentists : Dental Hospital Service [Emergency Only].
9674 3000 – Maritime and Aviation Rescue

For Victorian Emergency Services

Gas : Leaks and Emergencies
Multinet Gas 132 691
Envestra 1800 676 300
AusNet Services 136 707 (was SP AusNet)

If you are unsure of your distributor, click HERE and enter your postcode to find your distributior.

Electricity : Power Failure
Citipower 13 12 80
Powercor 13 24 12
AusNet Services 13 17 99 (was SP AusNet)
Jemena 13 16 26
United Energy 13 20 99

Nurse On Call : 1300 606 024 | AMA Victoria’s Doctor Search

Animals : Veterinary
9731 2232- Melbourne Veterinary Clinic [Werribee] 9328 3021 – Lord Smith Hospital [North Melbourne] Please note that these numbers are only for emergencies. If you need these services for routine or non-urgent matters, you should dial the local number of the required service near you. These can be found in the Australian White Pages. Also always dial these emergency numbers in case you have real emergency only.