NSW Ambulance Service and Central West Police District have put out a call for residents in Central and Western NSW to install the Emergency Plus App to assist in locating people who make calls to 000.

With tens of thousands of people roaming regional NSW this long weekend, they say it's a great time to get it onto your phone.

The Emergency Plus app is a free, life-saving tool for Australians, developed by emergency services and industry partners, using a smartphone's GPS to provide accurate location information to emergency call takers, allowing for faster response times. 

The app also provides information about when to call Triple Zero (000) and who to call for non-emergency situations. 

Its key features include:

• Accurate Location Sharing:

The app displays the phone's GPS coordinates, allowing callers to easily share their location with emergency operators. 

• Triple Zero Guidance:

The app provides information on when and when not to call Triple Zero (000). 

• Non-Emergency Contacts:

The app includes contact information for various non-emergency services, like SES and the Police Assistance Line. 

• What3words Integration:

Emergency+ also utilizes the what3words system for even more precise location sharing. 

Image courtesy NSW Ambulance Service.

“In an emergency, knowing your exact location is critical,” according to NSW Ambulance.

“The Emergency Plus App is a powerful tool that will help you call Triple Zero (000) quickly, while enabling you to provide accurate details of your location to emergency services.

“When you are unsure of your location, this is when the Emergency Plus App can make a difference – it uses your phone's GPS to pinpoint your position accurately, potentially saving valuable minutes.

“Ensuring your location is clearly provided can help paramedics find you quickly – if it is safe to do so, have someone wait outside to signal the approaching ambulance.

Image courtesy NSW Ambulance Service.

“This App is a life saver for us in the Western area, as it is such a large area with so many back roads and farm names and nicknames for roads that locals know but we don’t,” said Ben Loiacono Nyngan Ambulance Service and Senior Deputy Captain Nyngan HQ Brigade.

“Having the incorrect address reduces our response time, so this technology allows us to provide the best patient care with the fastest possible response for not only Ambulance but Police, RFS and SES services as well.

Ben Loiacono Nyngan Ambulance Service and Senior Deputy Captain Nyngan HQ Brigade - Image supplied.

“A lot of fires are out in the middle of paddocks and difficult for people to explain the exact location, which once again reduces our response time to assist, so having this GPS system from the App will get us to the emergency much faster and hopefully providing a better outcome,” said Mr Loiacono.

Download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store