Minister for Police and Emergency Services Kim Wells welcomed the recent launch of the Emergency+ app. The app was part federal initiative that connects users to triple zero and utilises smartphone GPS technology to give the user their exact location by longitude and latitude.
“This is an important innovation that will enable people in trouble or difficulty to provide their precise location information to triple zero operators,” Mr Wells said.
Mr Wells explained that the app was developed by the national Triple Zero Awareness Working Group that includes emergency services agencies from the Commonwealth, states and territories. Wells added that according to Victoria’s triple zero operator ESTA, 56 per cent of incoming calls to triple zero were made from mobile phones.
Mr Wells commented that The app includes a button for triple zero as well as one that takes users to the dedicated SES line 132 500. These numbers are common throughout Australia. There is a third button on the app for the Police Assistance Line (131 444) which is for non-emergency matters. Victoria Police do not yet provide this service but a project is underway to investigate the best way to connect Victorians to Police for non-emergency matters.