000 calls

[amalan11]

I was reading that the goverment  wants to re contract the emergency number . At the moment Telstra run it from Australia, but under this new scheme it could be sent overseas. That really worries me its vital that it stay in Australia in my opinion as the risk of someone stuffing up an address or problem due to language barriers seems to high 

I imagine its hard enough to understand hysterical people who need help without dealing with a foreign call centre.

[lyndal1838]

I have to agree with that amalan.

As the system stands at present the operator can see the address even if the caller cannot talk.  I doubt that would happen if the call centre is overseas.

[kopenhagen5]

Most definitely, panic situations require local knowledge to connect with individuals.

That is something emergency services personnel often shine in and is part of the thankless tasks performed so often.

Had to ring 000 today. I often do. 

[davidc4430]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7S2JBpNuIg

[kopenhagen5]

[*tippy*toes*]

I suppose if it does look like going ahead, a change dot org petition might see them change their mind. It's surprising how many things have been changed or halted due to them. People power.

If I need to call 000, I need to know the person on the other end knows exactly what I'm talking about if it comes to Mr Tippy. He has very specific needs when it comes to medical treatment and it's not something many emergency personnel have ever dealt with. I need to know the person on the other end can understand everything I say so I can give them explicit instructions. I don't want to have to keep repeating myself to someone in a different country where English isn't their first language.

Thankfully I'm only 7 minutes from the hospital (4 if I exceed the speed limit a fair bit), so usually quicker to just take him myself, but if it's something life threatening where he might need CPR, then I can't take him myself. The hospital is slowly learning about his specific needs, but we haven't been to the local ambulance station yet to educate them (there are only 6 other people in town with the same needs so it's to be expected that no-one really knows how to treat them).

Given his needs involve big words, a foreign call centre is going to have absolutely no idea what the heck I'm on about. Once upon a time you could ring the local ambulance directly, but these days it's a 13 number that goes to head office, which only operates during business hours (as I discovered when I was home and Mr Tippy was 4 hours away in Sydney and needed an ambulance at 4.30am and was unable to talk on the phone). If I need the police I just call their local number.

[chameleon54]

I was driving in a fairly remote area a couple of years ago when a huge thunder / lightning storm came across the country. It was early summer and there where 30-40 seperate fires lit up over a 20 km. stretch. We tried to call 000 but it took 15 - 20 minutes just to get our call answered. Maybe others where calling about the fires too   ???? 

While the wife was on the phone waiting to get through, I stopped the car and helped a farmer put out a fire, 100 metres from his house. We had to drive through fires burning uncontrolled along the roadside and passed a house where it appeared the owners where away, with a huge wall of flame heading right for the house. There was nothing we could do. I had the family in the car and we just had to keep going and get to a safer place.  Lukily the house was still standing several weeks later, but a shed and farm machinery where burnt.  Crazy stuff.

Other times I have called 000 we have had good response times. 

[shepherdsrule]

What next ?

A slow boat to China to get to Australian hospitals ?

Mind you, with the waiting list for elective surgery here at the moment, it may work out to be quicker!

[springyzone]

I've got a huge concern with things like that going offshore.

A major concern (and I may get shot down for this but I believe it is valid) is that even though the operators may be quite good at speaking English, often their accent can be hard to understand & that's the last thing you need in an emergency situation.

My husband had a problem the other day. Was routed through to someone (probably overseas). It was only a technical issue, not medical, but I could hear him saying, over & over-please slow down, I can't understand a word you are saying -or-what was that again, can you repeat it?

This went on and on for 30 minutes. He just can't understand anyone with a strong accent.

If you get someone who is in an emergency situation, they need someone who understands them straight off and they need to understand the operator's questions straight off.

Several years back I had to ring emergency services for my elderly dad. I wasn't sure what was wrong, whether it was a stroke or what, it was very stressful & confusing but luckily I got a lovely lady who asked a long string of questions which I was quickly able to answer & we had the ambulance with us in no time.

[lurker172602]

Slightly off topic but relevant all the same.  

I recently loaded the Emergency+ app to my phone.  I saw it on tv (I think) being recommended by emergency services personnel.  

I have been caught before where I needed to make an emergency call but didn't know my exact location (on the Hume highway).  The app shows you the exact long. and lat. of your location to relay to the operator.  I hope I don't ever have to use it, but I'm happy it's there if I do.