Calling 111 (New Zealand emergency number)
111 is the New Zealand emergency number - make sure to use the appropriate emergency number in other countries.
Call 111 from any phone if you need medical help in an emergency. You can call this emergency number 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Teach everyone in your whānau (family), your tamariki (children), visitors, and babysitters, how to use the 111 service properly.
Quick help
In a medical emergency, call 111 and ask for an ambulance.
Call Healthline on 0800 611 116 if you're unsure.
For the hearing or speech impaired, you can register for 111 TXT.
Calling 111 when you have no credit on your phone
You can call 111 on a mobile phone even if your phone is out of credit.
Using the emergency TXT service
There is an emergency TXT service for people who have hearing impairment or speech difficulties. Register for the 111 TXT service.
Find out how to register for 111 TXT at the New Zealand Police website.
Make it easy for the ambulance to find you
If your house is difficult to find, leave a note with your full address written out clearly and include any special instructions if access is difficult. Make sure this is easy to find. That way, your child or babysitter can easily read the instructions out if they need to call 111 in an emergency.
What to do when your 111 call is answered
Say which service you need - 'Police', 'Fire' or 'Ambulance'.
Ask for 'Ambulance'. Your call will then be transferred to St John | Hato Hone (ambulance service).
Tell the call handler exactly where the emergency is taking place. Give as much information as you can including the house number and street name, or the name of the business.
The call handler will ask you to give the phone number you are calling from; in case they need to call you back.
Tell the call handler what has happened. They will ask you questions like “Are you with the patient?” “How old is the patient?” “Is the patient awake?” “Is the patient breathing?”.
While you talk to the call handler, someone called a ‘dispatcher’ will be arranging help. The call handler will tell you what to do next. If necessary, they will stay on the line to help you until an ambulance or other help arrives.
Don't hang up the call until the call handler tells you to. They will make sure that you have the help you need first.
More information
See the St John website for more information on using 111.
For more information about registering for 111 TXT, see the New Zealand Police website.
