Hoax triple zero callers - risking the lives of others
The Ambulance Service of NSW (Ambulance) responded to almost a thousand triple
zero calls in the last 12 months that have been classified as ‘hoax’, 380 in
Sydney
alone. ‘Hoax’ calls are a severe drain on Ambulance resources and costs the community
many hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. There is also a real risk of
delaying
emergency assistance to patients in genuine need.
It is not always possible to identify a hoax call. An Ambulance is sent to all calls where sufficient address details are available, even if the call is suspected to be a hoax. An ambulance will only be cancelled when the hoax is confirmed by a supervisor. Unfortunately many of the hoax calls to triple zero occur on weekday afternoons and on school holidays. Whilst we cannot put old heads on young shoulders, Ambulance believes education is the key to helping children understand the use and value of the triple zero service. “Be an Ambulance Hero: Dial Zero, Zero, Zero” is one of our programs specifically aimed at younger children.
An example of a recent hoax call which placed members of both the community and the emergency services at great risk occurred on the NSW South Coast where a caller rang to report a non-existent bus collision. It was alleged that numerous people were injured in a remote location. NSW Ambulance responded three Paramedic teams and two helicopters at a cost to taxpayers of almost $10,000. Hoax calls to triple zero are a criminal offence.
In case of genuine medical emergency, dial triple zero (000) and ask for Ambulance. Remain on the line while details of the emergency are obtained and an Ambulance is sent.
Ambulance is committed to assisting the community create safer and healthier environments and outcomes by making prevention everyone’s businesses. A number of innovative community education programs have been implemented to assist identify life threatening conditions, understand what to do in an emergency and the importance of adopting illness prevention strategies.