I am 000

With fire season underway and a warm weekend ahead, it's important to know that you don't need to light a fire or even intend to do so to be an arsonist. In this podcast, hear from Crime Stoppers CEO, Stella Smith and ESTA call-taker, Matthew about arson and fire awareness.

It was just before 2am on a Sunday in April when Di was awoken by her daughter whispering that someone was in the house. Di says ESTA police call-taker, Alex was their lifeline.

When you call triple zero in Victoria, the first people who'll help you during your emergency are ESTA call-takers. In this episode, police call-taker, Cassandra, ambulance call-taker, Vanessa and fire call-taker, Kelsey talk about when and when not to call triple zero, what to expect when calling for help and break down misconceptions about the triple zero process.

Anastasia went to bed one Friday night in May 2020. Hours later, her seven-year-old son Archer walked into the room and found his mum unconscious.

Have you ever wondered what it takes and what it's like to be a triple zero call-taker? In this episode, you'll hear from three call-takers about how they got to be in the role and what it's like, as well as some of the real-life calls they've answered.

While it may seem obvious that the triple zero line is for emergencies only, call-takers do receive nuisance and hoax calls that can take them away from genuine emergencies. From false reports to people calling to know who won the footy, what might seem like just another call wastes triple zero and emergency services resources.

From the challenging calls that stick with them to some of the more unusual ones, two fire call-takers share their experiences and memories.

It was a typical Monday morning. Kelly got up to make her kids breakfast and went to get ready for the day. Only moments later, her husband Bruce found her in the bathroom, needing emergency help.

Imagine you are hiking in the Grampians National Park, when suddenly you have chest pain and difficulty breathing. You call triple zero and the call-taker asks you “where do you need the ambulance?” When every second counts, would you know how to quickly and accurately tell the call-taker exactly where you are? Hear about the different techniques and tools that could help save a life.

It was just after midnight when Alannah went into labour. She and her husband, Jono began the 100km drive to the hospital in Wodonga. They were only 15km down the road when Alannah started pushing and Jono dialled triple zero.

On a winter's afternoon, eight-year-old Evelyn was at home with her mum, Lauren, and two younger siblings when Lauren suspected she was having an allergic reaction. Lauren got the children into the car to drop them off at their grandfather's house, so she could go to the nearest hospital. They were almost there when the situation worsened rapidly.

On the 7 February 2009, what became known as the Black Saturday fires began. Over the following week, the state was ravaged by one of the worst fires in its history. ESTA's fire operators recall their experiences on Black Saturday and in the days that followed.

It was just after 11pm when nine-year-old Kate couldn't get to sleep. She decided to watch TV but found her mum, Natalie, unconscious on the lounge room floor.

It was an early winter's morning when Sarah woke to her 35 year-old husband Steve making a strange sound. When she turned on the light, she saw her husband's face. In that moment, she knew something wasn't right and dialled triple zero.

It's the most important call many of us will ever make, but if you've ever wondered what it's like to be on the receiving end of a police triple zero call, the reality can be confronting.

It was like any other Sunday afternoon for Simon and his five-year-old son Monte and seven-year-old son Casper. The last thing Simon remembers is taking his sons out to the backyard to ride their bikes, but unfortunately, that never happened.

These are the stories from Victoria's emergency triple zero service. Each episode will give rare access to real-life triple zero calls and the people behind them. You will hear from the callers, patients, triple zero operators and emergency services, sharing their stories and experiences from each case.