A significant number of Triple Zero (000) calls requesting an ambulance response are not real emergencies and do not require immediate medical assistance.
Please ... save 000 for saving lives and only call an ambulance if it's a medical emergency.
Paramedics are well trained to do the job the community expects of them - providing emergency treatment and safe transport to patients who require urgent medical care.
If there is a genuine chance of a medical emergency don't hesitate to dial triple zero (000) and ask for Ambulance.
Some situations however do not end up as serious as they first appear, so please use common sense and call triple zero (000) only if you believe you might require emergency medical treatment.
Press "play" to watch the confronting "Save 000 for Saving Lives" television
advertisement published by the Ambulance Service of New South Wales.
If it isn't a medical emergency, think about an alternative - such as seeking medical treatment through your local GP or community health centre.
Calling ambulances to a trivial situation could divert or delay us from responding to a real emergency like a cardiac arrest ... and even a few minutes delay might cost someone their life.
Medical emergencies include shortness or difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, chest pain, broken bone(s), head injury, suspected heart attack or stroke, excessive blood loss, a serious fall or a significant motor vehicle crash.
There are several alternatives to calling an ambulance including:
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