Deaf and hard of hearing

[Using the National Relay Service to call emergency services (000)]

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Using the National Relay Service to call  emergency services, triple zero.

If you are Deaf, hard of hearing and/or have a speech  impairment, you can make and receive calls through the National Relay Service or NRS.

Depending on the way you like to communicate, and the equipment you have, you can choose from different NRS call types.

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accesshub.gov.au

You will find helpful information on Access Hub, including videos about making and receiving calls through the NRS. As well as using the NRS to contact family, friends, hearing people and businesses, you can also use the NRS in an emergency to call police, fire brigade, or ambulance.

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When should I call emergency services? 

You should only call emergency services if someone is seriously injured or in need of urgent medical help, or, your life or property is in danger right now, or, you've just witnessed a serious accident or crime.

You can contact emergency services using any type of NRS call, however Video Relay calls are not recommended for emergencies. Video Relay only operates Monday to Friday during business hours and emergency calls made using Video Relay can't be prioritised.

It's a good idea to learn more than one NRS call type in case you need to make an emergency call. You could try NRS Chat or SMS Relay. There are two videos on Access Hub about using these two options. 

How to call emergency services through the NRS.

Starting a call to emergency services  is slightly different for each call type. If you use NRS Chat or NRS Captions over the internet, the quickest way to start an   emergency call is by clicking "Call 000" on the call page. You don't have to be logged in to call Triple Zero.

If you are already logged in you'll see the "Call 000" red button on the "Make a Call" windows for NRS Chat and NRS Captions. Click on this to start an emergency call. You can also enter triple zero into the phone number call fields and press the "Connect Now" button.

If you use a TTY you must dial one zero six first. For Voice Relay, call 1800 555 727. Listen to the message, you will be asked to press one if you want to make an emergency call. Press one to be connected to a Relay  Officer to make an emergency call.

If you use SMS Relay text messages on your  mobile phone, send an SMS to 0423 677 767.  Include this information in the SMS: "000." "Fire" or "police" or "ambulance." Your name. Location of emergency, including address or landmark. Brief details about the emergency. Type "GA" (go ahead) at the end of your message.

If you use the NRS app to make calls click on the "000 Emergency call only" button on the login page. You don't have to log in first. When the Relay Officer answers your call and asks, tell them what type of help you need. If you are speaking your side of the conversation  say "police," "fire," or "ambulance" and give your exact address or a good description of your location. If you are typing your side of the conversation type "PPP" for police, "FFF" for fire, or "AAA" for ambulance and your exact address or location. For all call types the Relay Officer will connect you to the right emergency service. Stay on the line and relay your call to the Emergency Services Officer.

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Try to stay calm and answer the Emergency Services Officer as well as you can.

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Say or type "go ahead" or "GA" after you finish answering each time. 

Be prepared for making emergency calls.

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phone 1800 555 660 fax 1800 555 690
mobile 0416 001 350 TTY 1800 555 630 
email helpdesk@relayservice.com.au

[Voiceover]
If you have questions or are not sure about the steps to make an emergency call, contact the NRS Helpdesk. The NRS Helpdesk is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm Australian Eastern Standard Time.

There are a number of different ways to contact the helpdesk. Visit accesshub.gov.au to find information about the NRS and other communication options to best suit you.