Advanced Mobile Location has been deployed in Australia

In an emergency, lives can depend on emergency responders being provided timely, accurate information to find those needing help – every second counts. 

Now thanks to the Australia-wide roll-out of Advanced Mobile Location (AML) technology for all Triple Zero (000) services, St John WA Ambulances will be able to locate many callers requiring emergency assistance faster.

How AML works

Advanced Mobile Location (AML) technology allows smartphones to send more precise location coordinates when a caller dials Triple Zero. 

AML provides emergency services the ability to pin-point your location to within about five metres if you’re calling from outdoors, or within 25 metres when you’re indoors.  

AML is built into modern smartphones, and only activated when you call Triple Zero. It deactivates as soon as the call ends. Your location is calculated using  a combination of GPS signal, Wi-Fi, mobile network and other sensor inputs, depending on what’s available. This calculation happens entirely in the background while you’re on the phone to Triple Zero. It typically takes 25 seconds or less to calculate the location of the calling device, at which point your smartphone automatically sends emergency services an SMS that provides this precise location information. Your phone makes no record of the SMS — you won’t find it in your sent messages.

You will still be asked to verbally provide location information when you call Triple zero. And it’s important that callers still give as much location detail as possible to the operator — they might require information that can’t be obtained from technology. It’s best to think of AML technology as something that complements, rather than replaces, existing processes and procedures.

Can I use AML?

AML is technology built into the operating system of most modern Apple and Android smartphones. 

The capability is automatically activated on mobile devices running Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and higher, or on iPhones running iOS 14.3 or higher (available to iPhone 6s and above). You can check what version of iOS your iPhone is running in Settings > General > About. AML technology also works with Apple Watch GPS + Cellular devices running watch OS7.2 or later.

AML won’t work when you’re out of range of your mobile network but in range of another, or if you’re using an older smartphone or iOS. For those scenarios however, St John’s First Responder App still has you covered. 

Using the First Responder app

You can still call St John Ambulance WA using the First Responder app, which allows you to share accurate location information in an emergency and is available for users of older operating systems (iOS 9.0+ and Android 4.1+[KJ1] ).

To use the location feature of the First Responder app, you need to provide the app permission to access your location. When enabled, this feature automatically sends your GPS location to the St John WA Triple Zero call centre whenever you place a Triple Zero call from the app Dial 000 screen, and request an ambulance.

The First Responder app also provides other useful features such as first aid guides, defibrillator locations, and the location and wait times for nearby hospital emergency departments.

The St John First Responder app is free to download from Apple’s App Store and Google Play. 

What about privacy?

AML is dormant on compatible smartphones and only switched on when Triple Zero is dialled. The location functions on your phone will respect your per-app privacy settings up until an emergency call is made (which activates AML), and reverts to your privacy settings immediately afterward.

The use of location services is optional when using St John’s First Responder App, but it is recommended these are toggled ‘on’ at all times.

For further information on the deployment of Advanced Mobile Location to emergency services in Australia visit triplezero.gov.au.