Thread: GPS and 000 Emergency Calls

No, but I’ve used the app called ‘emergency plus’ to get gps coordinates. It’s worked quickly and easily when I’ve needed to call 000 when miles from Cobar once.

Originally Posted by John_D4

No, but I’ve used the app called ‘emergency plus’ to get gps coordinates. It’s worked quickly and easily when I’ve needed to call 000 when miles from Cobar once.

What about the "what3words" app as recently explained on a post on here. Much simpler and exact than lat. and long., and definitely the way to go!

Hi Gary,

If you have an up to date Android or IOS phone, your location is automatically sent to 000 with no app required using Advanced Mobile Location.



See here: Advanced Mobile Location


AML works with Android telephones (version 4.1 and higher, with Google Play Services installed).
AML works with iPhones running iOS 14.3 or later and Apple Watch GPS + Cellular devices running watchOS 7.2 or later.
AML is not an App - rather it is a technology built into the operating system.

But using the Emergency Plus app would be more reliable as AML won’t work if you’re roaming onto another network when you make the 000 call.

Originally Posted by 101RRS

I had thought that with the advent of gps on mobile phones that the GPS position of the phone was imbedded in a 000 call (assuming gps was on) so that the 000 call center knows exactly where you are.

However after watching a recent Australian rescue programme on tv it is clear that this is not the case.

So does anyone know of an android app that will ring 000 and also provide the gps location without the caller having to try and find the specific location.

Thanks

Garry

you can use the Emergency App with any smart phone. Your position is written as three words and you just recite it to the operator.
Australian emergency services use what3words to find incidents faster | what3words

The national Emergency Plus app for Android and iOS sends your precise location using GPS and what3words. It's not 100% clear from the app itself, but I believe it requires a SIM.

https://www.emergencyplus.com.au/

If you are still physically able to operate your phone you could use this app to determine location, both GPS and w3w, displayed in the app and then call 112, which does not require a SIM or active mobile service, and works anywhere in the world there is mobile service. But if you are not able to operate the phone normally you are screwed. Not sure about Android, but Siri can be programmed to send an emergency call if required. Maybe that could include calling 112...but that doesn't help with location ( Now I'll have to check ).

OK, I wouldn't have said this ten years ago, but these days it's all a bit pathetic. AML possibly won't work across carriers! What? Apples Emergency SOS requires a SIM. Again, what? Apple's new Satellite SOS doesn't work here (yet) and requires the latest iPhone, although as the last is hardware dependent I suppose it's fair enough.

( Apologies to the OP, who specified Android, but this is a serious topic that deserves a little bit of cross platform discussion )

Of course, none of this, except Apples yet to arrive sat service, will work in a very large part of this continent, which is where you are more likely to need it.

Originally Posted by simonmelb

Hi Gary,

If you have an up to date Android or IOS phone, your location is automatically sent to 000 with no app required using Advanced Mobile Location.



See here: Advanced Mobile Location

Thanks for that information - that is exactly what I was looking for - just confuses me a bit more though. On the TV show the woman with the emergency had to read out her location (lat long out in the bush) when she rang 000 so no auto location. Also I had to ring 000 twice last year and I had to repeatedly tell the operator where we were (maybe a mismatch in my advised position vs the sms position) - so if the invisible sms had been sent the 000 call center did not seem to have it.

To the other respondents who advised of apps to retrieve position (should be a simple option in google maps on the phone) great information but I would find it hard in a 000 call to open other apps to get lat/long when I was the victim.

Thanks for all the input - great information all round.

Garry

Originally Posted by gavinwibrow

What about the "what3words" app as recently explained on a post on here. Much simpler and exact than lat. and long., and definitely the way to go!

Agreed, that’s why the app includes it

John - too much data visible.... delete the pic