111 emergency service

If you need help from the police, the fire service, or you need an ambulance, dial 111 and the emergency operator will connect you to the right place.

Call 111 if you’re in an emergency.

Not safe to talk? Stay on the line.

If there’s a serious risk that people could be injured or property damaged, do not hesitate to call 111.

Accessible option for 111

When you’re in an emergency

Call 111 if you cannot decide whether your situation is an emergency.

Help with deciding who to call

Examples of emergencies

Police examples of emergencies

Fire examples of emergencies

Medical examples of emergencies

Non-emergency contacts

If you’re not in an emergency, there are ways to contact each service for situations that are not urgent.

Police contacts for non-emergencies

Fire contacts for non-emergencies

Medical contacts for non-emergencies

What happens when you call 111

If it’s safe to talk, tell the 111 operator which main service you need, either:

More than 1 emergency service provider might respond, depending on your situation.

Not safe to talk? Stay on the line.

Without talking, follow the instructions from call-takers and menus.

Press numbers and buttons when asked.

During the call

  • Listen and follow the prompts of the emergency services call-taker.
  • Some questions might be repeated, so the call-taker can make sure they have the right information.
  • If the situation needs an immediate response, help may be sent while the call-taker asks you more questions.

Police emergency call

If you can, get to safety before calling.

On the call — police emergency

Fire emergency call

When there’s fire or smoke, get out and stay out — get to safety.

On the call — fire emergency

Ambulance emergency call

Be safe: if there are any hazards, try to get away from them before calling.

On the call — ambulance emergency

Give the exact address on emergency calls

The more information you can give about the emergency’s location, the better. Try to give the:

  • house number
  • street name
  • nearest intersection
  • suburb and city — or your Rural Address Property Identification (RAPID) number if you have one
  • if you’re on the move, give as many details as you can, such as street names, well-known buildings, bridges and geographical features.

Accessibility option for 111 emergencies

Use ‘111 TXT’.

This service is for people who have difficulty hearing or talking on the phone.

Register for 111 TXT — NZ Police

More information about 111 TXT

Check the NZ Police website for information about:

Overseas emergencies

New Zealand embassies can help you if something goes wrong while you’re outside NZ.

Emergency help when you’re overseas

Teach children about calling 111

Download these fun activities which teach children when to make 111 emergency calls.

111 emergency resources for children — NZ Police

More information — emergency call services

Spark NZ operates the platform for answering initial 111 calls, before sending emergency calls to the right service. Visit the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) website for more information about emergency call services.

Emergency call services — MBIE

Who to contact for more help

If you need more help or have questions about the information or services on this page, contact one of the following agencies.

Utility links and page information

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