Save Triple Zero (000) for emergencies

In an emergency or life-threatening situation, you should always call Triple Zero (000) for an ambulance.  Every second counts in these situations and that’s why ambulance resources and Triple Zero (000) should be saved for emergencies.

Hospitals and the ambulance service are often extremely busy and the COVID-19 pandemic has increased pressure on these services. In these situations, if you are NOT experiencing an emergency, you may need to wait for longer.

We’re sure you’ll agree that the most urgent cases should be prioritised to ensure emergency ambulances are available for these patients. That’s why we ask you to consider other care options if your situation is not urgent.

We understand that people sometimes ring Triple Zero (000) when they don’t know where else to turn but there are a range of options available for non-life-threatening illnesses or injuries.

These include GPs, community-based medical services, out-of-hours medical centres, pharmacists or self-care at home, in addition to the services listed below.

To raise awareness of the need to save Triple Zero (000) for emergencies, SA Ambulance has created two short videos.