Emergency numbers in Australia

If you are ever faced with an emergency situation while in Australia, dial 000. This number will access Ambulance, Fire and Police. The operator will ask you which of the three services you require and then contact the local service you need.

This emergency number should work from landlines, payphones and cell phones, but certain newer digital phones may require you to dial the international standard emergency number 112 instead. You should check with your carrier if you are not sure how to get through the emergency services from your phone.

People with hearing or speech impairments should dial 106, a text-based emergency call service that operates using a TTY phone but does not accept voice calls or text messages.

Unlike what happens in other countries, you cannot access the emergency services in Australia by dialling 911 using an analogue phone or landline. Numbers beginning with the 911 prefix (for example, 02 911x xxxx) have already been allocated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and are being used by individuals or businesses. Some 3G/GSM mobile handsets, however, allow you to use this number and be redirected to 000.

Please note that these numbers are only for emergencies. If you need these services for routine or non-urgent matters, you should dial the local number of the required service near you. These can be found in the Australian White Pages.