Ministers Mark Mitchell and Casey Costello have launched a new digital service delivered by Next Generation Critical Communications (NGCC) that will assist the emergency services to more quickly locate people who may be in danger and send help faster.
Around one in five calls to 111 are people calling about someone else who may be missing or considered to be in danger.
Thanks to the new Device Location Information (DLI) service, Hato Hone St John, Police, Wellington Free Ambulance and Fire and Emergency New Zealand can now locate the approximate area of the mobile phone of a person who has not called 111 themselves but where there are grave fears for their health or safety.
“When every second counts, having access to real time digital technology is a game changer for our emergency services, and for the public’s safety,” Mr Mitchell said.
The service was launched today by the Ministers alongside NGCC and emergency services representatives at Hato Hone St John in Auckland.
Peter Bradley, Chief Executive of Hato Hone St John, says the DLI service is a vital tool helping emergency services respond faster.
“The ability to quickly locate a person whose life or health is at serious risk, but they are unable to call for help, can mean the difference between life and death,” he says.
Rigorous measures are in place to ensure this streamlined capability, which replaces a slower manual approach, is used appropriately and transparently in line with the Telecommunications Information Privacy Code. This includes a two-step process to authorise use of the DLI service and transparently reporting, including to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, on when and why it has been used. A follow-up text is sent as soon as possible to the person whose phone has been located using DLI, provided it doesn’t compromise their physical or mental health.
This new service extends the existing Emergency Caller Location Information (ECLI) service also provided by NGCC. The ECLI service immediately provides emergency services with the location of a mobile device used to make a 111 call.
For more information:
Ministerial press release(external link)(external link)
Hato Hone St John press release(external link)
About the DLI