First Aid Step 3 - Send for Help

Have you ever felt you won’t know what to say when you call Triple Zero (000) when sending for help in a first aid situation? Do you when you should call Triple Zero (000) in a first aid situation?

I have found that calling Triple Zero (000) in a first aid situation where you might not know what is happening is good. I would rather have the ambulance on the phone talking me through what to do rather than panic when the casualty is getting worse and then time is not on my side.

Send for help 

Call Triple Zero (000), ask for an ambulance and stay on the phone until they either tell you to hang up or the Ambulance arrives. If you get a bystander to call Triple Zero (000) for you, they must stay by your side throughout the emergency. They need to communicate clearly between you and the operator. 

As Australia is a wonderful multicultural country, if asking a bystander to call Triple Zero (000) make sure you say Triple ZERO and no Triple O! We want the bystander calling the number ZERO not the letter O on a dial pad.

If you are the one calling Triple Zero (000) and providing the first aid as well, put the phone on loud speaker so you can use your hands. Tell the operator you’re doing this so if they have something they need to tell you without others listening, you can take it off loud speaker. 

Sending for Help doesn’t just mean need to an Ambulance. There is other things we need to send for that will you treat your casualty. You should also send for a first aid kit and a defibrillator. The first aid kit will have Personal Protective Equipment in it such as gloves and pocket mask or face shield that you can use if you need to provide CPR.

What information do you need for the Operator? 

When you dial 000 you will first hear the recorded message 'You have dialed emergency Triple Zero. Your call is being connected.' 

Your call is then answered by a Telstra operator who will ask whether you need police, fire or ambulance. You may also be asked to give the state and town you are calling from. The operator will then connect you to the emergency service you requested and will stay on the line with you until the call is answered by them. 

Once you are talking to an Ambulance Operator, remain calm and answer all questions as best you can.

What about other numbers? 

112 was used when phones needed to roam for the nearest provider. Since January 2002, phones now automatically pick up the nearest provider and as such you no longer need to use 112. 

106 connects text based relay service to people who have hearing or speech impairments. 

If there is no mobile coverage on any networks, you will not be able to call Triple Zero (000) regardless of what number you use. 

911, 111 or 999 – international numbers. Due to configurations in phones, some phones will redirect other emergency numbers to Triple Zero (000). These calls are flagged by the firmware in the phone as an emergency and as such when connecting to the network are treated in the same way as Triple Zero (000) calls.

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