Victoria’s emergency Triple Zero computer and dispatch system was unexpectedly knocked offline for several hours early on Wednesday morning, forcing call-takers and dispatchers to revert to pen and paper to coordinate emergency responses. The outage, which began at 12:30 a.m., was attributed to a power issue at the Triple Zero facility, according to a spokeswoman. The system began transitioning back to its normal operations shortly after 3:30 a.m. and was fully operational just after 4 a.m.
Emergency Services Minister Vicki Ward stated that a Triple Zero backup power system should have activated during the outage, which lasted about 90 minutes. “We don’t know why it didn’t. We are investigating that,” she said. “It’s never happened before.” Ward assured that all calls to Triple Zero were processed during the outage and that the call and dispatch system was gradually restored.
Backup Measures and System Investigation
A spokesperson confirmed that “usual backup measures were enacted to minimize impact to the community” during the outage. “Our staff are highly trained in Victoria’s CAD backup procedures, which are consistent with all other Australian jurisdictions,” the spokesperson added. The cause of the power issue is now under investigation.
Three internal sources, not authorized to speak publicly, indicated that the power failure was linked to the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system at the main calling center in Burwood.
“That basically took out the entire building, shut down everything from the air conditioning through to the lights, all of the phone servers, all of the computer servers … all the radio power went down. Everything stopped.”
Impact on Emergency Services
For a short period after the outage, Victorian Ambulance Union secretary Danny Hill reported that staff in the control room in Burwood resorted to handheld walkie-talkies due to the radio system’s failure. An internal union source, also not authorized to speak publicly, contested the government’s claim that all calls continued to be answered throughout the outage. They noted that phone lines at the main call-answering center in Burwood were down for a time, causing delays as attempts were made to connect callers with the center. These calls were then rerouted to the two other call centers at Ballarat or Williams Landing, resulting in answering delays.
Ambulance Victoria chief executive Jordan Emery, who was appointed in May, stated that despite the outage, there are currently “no specific patient safety events reported at this time.” While acknowledging that the situation is “concerning,” Emery mentioned that the exact circumstances of the system failure are still under investigation by Triple Zero Victoria through a detailed review.
System Upgrades and Challenges
Emery noted that the computer-aided dispatch system used by Triple Zero Victoria is undergoing a “significant upgrade.” “Like all technological solutions, they need to be retired over time, replaced with more up-to-date technology, and that process is underway,” he explained. When questioned about the pace of the upgrade, Emery responded, “It’s a major upgrade … it cuts across all emergency service organizations … and that’s taking place as we speak.”
Hill highlighted the inefficiencies caused by the outage in the emergency response process. When the CAD system is down, dispatchers lose the ability to track the location of resources across the state. “So if a job comes in for Preston, for example, they can see that there’s an ambulance two kilometers down the road. When that system crashes, they actually have to get on the radio and ask: ‘Are there any crews available for a job in Preston?’ They have to manually do all those things,” Hill explained.
Looking Forward: Ensuring Reliability
Premier Jacinta Allan confirmed that the outage is being investigated. She was informed that there were no adverse outcomes but is seeking more information. “The cause of the power outage is still being investigated,” Allan stated. Opposition spokesperson for emergency services, Danny O’Brien, described the system failure as a “serious concern,” urging the government to provide a clear explanation of what caused the incident.
The incident underscores the critical importance of reliable emergency services infrastructure and the need for robust backup systems. As Victoria’s emergency services continue to investigate the outage, the focus remains on ensuring that such disruptions do not recur, safeguarding the community’s trust in their emergency response capabilities.
