RECEIVING a triple-0 call with incorrect or insufficient address details is almost a daily occurrence for the region's emergency service personnel. Despite the introduction of technology that can help callers pinpoint their exact location, many are not using it.
Often, people calling triple-0 with an emergency don't know their exact location or how far along the road they might have travelled to give those details to the call centre operator.
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Identifying a person's location in an emergency is one of the most critical elements to survival, the region's emergency service personnel say.
The Emergency+ smartphone app uses the GPS functionality of the smartphone to pinpoint the caller's exact location and the result is a quicker response by emergency services.
Too late to help
After 21 years in the job, NSW Ambulance Superintendent Brad Porter has unfortunately seen the "worst case scenario" following callers who provide inadequate address details for an emergency.
"Often people ring up and say 'I need an ambulance' and then they hang up," he said.
Back in the days when most people called from a landline this was easier because a trace could be put on the address of that phone number, but these days things are very different.
"About 65 per cent of calls for triple-0 now come through on mobile phones," Supt Porter said.
And, while the mobile phone owner's home address can be traced, this is not always where the call is being made.
Just recently, a triple-0 call was made for someone who was in cardiac arrest and while the house number and street were provided by the caller, the nearest cross street was not.
About 65 per cent of calls for triple-0 now come through on mobile phones.
- NSW Ambulance Superintendent Brad Porter
Unfortunately, the street was long and paramedics were not sure which end they should start looking for the house, and the road was also split in two with no direct way through.
Paramedics were forced to go around the long way and got there too late.
Earlier this year paramedics were called to a shooting on a rural property in the Central West and the caller, who was a visitor to the farm, did not know the address or nearest cross street.
Thankfully, in this case, paramedics still got there in time to save a life.
How does the Emergency+ app work?
The emergency call should be made by opening the app and then clicking on the triple-0 icon.
Upon opening the app, it will display the exact longitude and latitude of your location which you then pass on to the operator.
The app also allows you to call the State Emergency Service (SES) and the Police Assistance Line.
This is a game-changer, emergency services say
A Fire and Rescue NSW spokeswoman said while the app was great for anyone planning on travelling during these school holidays, it was just as useful to everyone the community.
"Today, a large percentage of calls to triple-0 are made from mobile phones," she said.
"Sometimes mobile phone users are not aware of their physical location, making it difficult for emergency call operators to dispatch emergency services.
"This app helps callers tell emergency operators their location as determined by their smartphone's GPS capability."
NSW Ambulance zone manager Superintendent Brad Porter praised the Emergency+ app and said it benefits a range of callers
He said it was not always the case that people calling triple-0 were in an area that they were unfamiliar with.
Drugs and alcohol-affected people often don't give adequate or accurate directions, neither do some people who are suffering from certain medical conditions such as a stroke.
"They might not be able to remember where they live," Supt Porter said.
The Emergency+ app is free and available on iOS, Android and Windows devices through the Google Play, Windows and Apple stores.