Published Monday, 02 July, 2007 at 02:39 PM
JOINT STATEMENT
Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
Minister for Emergency Services
The Honourable Pat Purcell
QUEENSLAND DIALS INTO 132 500
Queenslanders needing help during a storm or flood have a new number to call for the SES – 132 500.
The change means Queensland is part of the National 132 500 State Emergency Service (SES) telephone number network fulfilling a key election promise, Premier Peter Beattie and Emergency Services Minister Pat Purcell announced today.
“This single telephone number will replace more than 1,200 existing phone numbers used by members of the public to contact their local SES,” Mr Beattie said.
“When a natural disaster occurs and help is needed it’s important to be able to act quickly and avoid confusion.
“When an event such as a cyclone or a flood is occurring, it’s not the time to have to search for the appropriate phone number to get the help you need,” he said.
“Trying to find the right number under difficult conditions is not only frustrating, but any delay has the potential to result in significant loss of property.
“As of today 132 500 is the only number Queensland residents need to call for help from the SES during an emergency,” Mr Beattie said.
The 132 500 initiative was promised as part of the Safeguarding Cyclone Communities election commitment in 2006 in the wake of the devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Larry.
“We have learned many lessons since Cyclone Larry and this major initiative is designed to ensure we continue to improve the delivery of emergency assistance in times of need,” Mr Beattie said.
“In the days after Cyclone Larry there were 65 phone numbers identified in the region for the SES.
“That situation no longer exists. When a similar event happens in the future there will now be one single and clearly identified phone number for residents to call no matter where they live in Queensland,” said Mr Beattie.
Emergency Services Minister Pat Purcell said the new system is primarily intended to be used during storms and floods.
“If a caller rings 132 500 at any time they’ll be answered by trained state government call centre operators who’ll direct the call to the appropriate SES contact, based on the caller’s location,” he said.
“If an emergency call centre has been established in an area experiencing a storm or flood, calls from that area will go direct to that call centre.
“This will mean a quicker response from local SES crews and will also reduce the burden on the call centre receiving calls from other parts of the state,” Mr Purcell said.
“Callers ringing from Brisbane metropolitan areas will have their call answered by the Brisbane City Council 24 hour call centre as the size of city makes this the most efficient way of managing calls for Brisbane metro SES units.
“Brisbane City Council has traditionally tasked local SES units directly and this arrangement allows that to continue.”
Mr Purcell said there were also several other benefits of the new phone number.
“Based on the experience of other States and Territories that have introduced the 132 500 number we are expecting to see a reduction in the number of incorrect calls to Triple-Zero,” he said.
“With so many people moving to Queensland every year this will also lessen confusion among new residents as to who to call in times of disasters as the 132 500 phone number is also used across NSW, VIC, SA and will be introduced into WA shortly.
“I encourage all Queensland residents to take note of this new number and keep it somewhere prominent so they can find it when they require help from the SES,” said Mr Purcell.
A public information campaign including television and radio advertising and fridge magnets and pamphlets will begin today to raise awareness of the new number.
Monday July 2, 2007
For more information:
Premier’s Office – 3224 4500
Minister’s Office – 3247 8993
The change means Queensland is part of the National 132 500 State Emergency Service (SES) telephone number network fulfilling a key election promise, Premier Peter Beattie and Emergency Services Minister Pat Purcell announced today.
“This single telephone number will replace more than 1,200 existing phone numbers used by members of the public to contact their local SES,” Mr Beattie said.
“When a natural disaster occurs and help is needed it’s important to be able to act quickly and avoid confusion.
“When an event such as a cyclone or a flood is occurring, it’s not the time to have to search for the appropriate phone number to get the help you need,” he said.
“Trying to find the right number under difficult conditions is not only frustrating, but any delay has the potential to result in significant loss of property.
“As of today 132 500 is the only number Queensland residents need to call for help from the SES during an emergency,” Mr Beattie said.
The 132 500 initiative was promised as part of the Safeguarding Cyclone Communities election commitment in 2006 in the wake of the devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Larry.
“We have learned many lessons since Cyclone Larry and this major initiative is designed to ensure we continue to improve the delivery of emergency assistance in times of need,” Mr Beattie said.
“In the days after Cyclone Larry there were 65 phone numbers identified in the region for the SES.
“That situation no longer exists. When a similar event happens in the future there will now be one single and clearly identified phone number for residents to call no matter where they live in Queensland,” said Mr Beattie.
Emergency Services Minister Pat Purcell said the new system is primarily intended to be used during storms and floods.
“If a caller rings 132 500 at any time they’ll be answered by trained state government call centre operators who’ll direct the call to the appropriate SES contact, based on the caller’s location,” he said.
“If an emergency call centre has been established in an area experiencing a storm or flood, calls from that area will go direct to that call centre.
“This will mean a quicker response from local SES crews and will also reduce the burden on the call centre receiving calls from other parts of the state,” Mr Purcell said.
“Callers ringing from Brisbane metropolitan areas will have their call answered by the Brisbane City Council 24 hour call centre as the size of city makes this the most efficient way of managing calls for Brisbane metro SES units.
“Brisbane City Council has traditionally tasked local SES units directly and this arrangement allows that to continue.”
Mr Purcell said there were also several other benefits of the new phone number.
“Based on the experience of other States and Territories that have introduced the 132 500 number we are expecting to see a reduction in the number of incorrect calls to Triple-Zero,” he said.
“With so many people moving to Queensland every year this will also lessen confusion among new residents as to who to call in times of disasters as the 132 500 phone number is also used across NSW, VIC, SA and will be introduced into WA shortly.
“I encourage all Queensland residents to take note of this new number and keep it somewhere prominent so they can find it when they require help from the SES,” said Mr Purcell.
A public information campaign including television and radio advertising and fridge magnets and pamphlets will begin today to raise awareness of the new number.
Monday July 2, 2007
For more information:
Premier’s Office – 3224 4500
Minister’s Office – 3247 8993