111 call service

A letter writer recently described their experience of using 111, saying they needed to push certain numbers on their phone to reach the emergency service they needed. Spark is responding on behalf of all the emergency services to clarify how the 111 service works.

Normally, a 111 call is answered by a Spark operator, who transfers the caller to the right emergency service. If that agency is busy at the time, the operator will stay on the line until a fire, police or ambulance call-taker becomes available.

If operators are all on hold with people, callers to other services may become ‘stuck in the queue’ waiting to be answered and transferred by an operator.

For this reason, an interactive voice response (IVR) system was introduced for 111 calls after the 2011 Christchurch quake. The IVR is only activated in very busy periods, where an automated voice tells the caller which button to press for the service they require, e.g. 2 for ambulance.

All three emergency service agencies also operate a ‘‘no wrong door’’ policy – so if a caller to 111 accidentally selects the wrong service, the call-taker will take essential details from the caller and then electronically transfer an emergency event with those details through the dispatch system, so that service can quickly decide on the required response. The 111 call is also then transferred to the next available call-taker at the correct service.