Questions Asked
In order to get an ambulance to the scene of an emergency as quickly as possible, any person callling 000 will be asked a standard set of questions by the ambulance operations centre.
These are examples of the important questions asked by our operators.
- What is the exact address of the emergency? (The operator will ask for the suburb name and nearest cross street).
- What is the phone number you are calling from? (This information is important in case the operations centre needs to call back to obtain further information).
- What is the problem, tell me exactly what happened? (Should the caller not understand the question it will be rephrased and repeated.
- How old is s/he? (Approximate age if unsure)
- Is s/he conscious? (Yes or no answer required)
- Is s/he breathing? (Yes or no answer required)
Once you have answered these questions an ambulance is sent. It is important that you remain calm and do not hang up until the operator has obtained the required information.
Additional questions may be asked by the operator, who will also provide further assistance or instructions depending on the situation.
For example, if you ring about a person suffering from chest pain you may be asked the following additional questions regarding the patient.
- Is s/he completely awake?
- Is s/he breathing normally?
- Is s/he changing colour?
- Is s/he clammy?
- Does s/he have a history of heart problems?
- Did s/he take any drugs of medication in the past 12 hours?
Answering these questions to the best of your ability ensures we have the most information about the patient's condition and can tell the paramedics who are on the way.
It is not uncommon for our operations centre to receive calls from children. Teaching children vital information such as how to call 000, their name, address and phone number can often save a life.