www.triplezero.gov.au

Knowing how to call Triple Zero (000) in an emergency can be the difference between life and death. The Triple Zero (000) service is the quickest way to get the right emergency service to help you.

It should be used to contact Police, Fire or Ambulance services in life threatening or emergency situations. Calls to Triple Zero (000) are free and can be made from mobile phones, home or work phones or pay phones.

How to make a Triple Zero (000) call

There are a few simple steps to take when making a Triple Zero (000) call:

• Stay calm and call Triple Zero (000) from a safe location.
• A Telstra operator will answer and ask you if you need Police, Fire or Ambulance. Say the service that you require. If you are calling using a mobile or satellite phone the operator will ask you for other location information.
• You will then be connected to the nominated emergency service operator, who will take details of the situation.
• Stay on the line, speak clearly and answer the operator's questions.
• Give the nominated emergency service operator the details of where you are, including street number, name, nearest cross street, and locality. In rural areas it is important to give the full address and distances from landmarks and roads, not just the name of the property.
• Don't hang up until the operator has all the information they need.
• If possible wait outside at a prearranged meeting point or in a prominent location for emergency services to arrive to assist them to locate the emergency.
• If you make a Triple Zero (000) call whilst travelling on a Motorway or on a rural road, identifying the direction you are travelling and the last exit or town you passed through will assist emergency services to correctly locate the incident.

Additional tips: other things everyone should know in an emergency

• If a person is unable to speak English, they should call Triple Zero (000) from a fixed line, say ‘Police’, ‘Fire’ or ‘Ambulance’. Once connected to the nominated emergency service, stay on the line and a translator will be organised.
• Record the Triple Zero (000) emergency number beside the telephone at home and work.
• Take time to teach children and overseas visitors how to make an emergency call.
• Callers with hearing or speech impairments can call the one zero six (106) text-based emergency call service using a text phone

The $170 million NSW Home Saver Rebates program has ended as scheduled on 30 June 2011.

NSW households may still be eligible for the following NSW Home Saver Rebates if items have been purchased and installed on or before 30 June 2011, and the completed application form is received by the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) within six months of the date of installation or by 5pm, 30 September 2011 (whichever is sooner).

• $300 to replace an electric hot water system with climate friendly solar, heat pump and 5 star gas hot water systems
• Up to $1500 for rainwater tanks that are connected to a washing machine and toilet
• $200 for a 4 star dual flush toilet suite to replace a single flush toilet
• $150 for installing a hot water circulator unit for instantaneous gas hot water heaters.

Applications received more than six months after installation or after 5pm, 30 September 2011 will not be eligible for a rebate.

NSW households can visit www.environment.nsw.gov.au/rebates or phone the Environment Line on 1300 361 967 for an application form and further information.

If your website refers to the NSW Home Saver Rebates program, please could you ensure this advises that the program has now ended and that completed rebate applications must be received by 5pm, 30 September 2011.

OEH will continue to provide support and guidance to households to help save water and energy around their homes and money on utility bills. Ongoing energy efficiency programs available for NSW households include:

· Home Power Savings Program, for pensioners and other low income earners, provides a free visit from an expert assessor who installs a power savings kit and tailored advice to help save up to 20% off their power use.

· Save Power library kits, available to borrow from participating libraries in NSW with tools to measure power use from appliances, find out where electricity is wasted and learn how to save on power bills.

· Save Power Retailer Program, sales staff in certain appliance stores have been trained to give energy efficiency information and long term running costs of TVs, fridges, heaters and other appliances.

· NABERS Home, provides free on-line tools for householders to measure and compare their energy and water performance and find out where the biggest cost and energy savings can be made in their home.

· The Fridge Buyback program will continue to give households $35 cash back to recycle their old working second fridge. Visit www.fridgebuyback.com.au or call 1800 708 401 to check availability and terms and conditions.

Please visit www.savepower.nsw.gov.au or phone the Environment Line on 1300 361 967 for further details.

For queries regarding the end of the NSW Home Saver Rebates program please contact Laura Pratt, Team Leader, NSW Home Saver Rebates at the Office of Environment and Heritage on

(02) 9995 5307.

Greywater is the wastewater from your shower, bath, spa, hand basins, laundry tub, washing machine, dishwasher and kitchen sink. It doesn't include water from toilets, urinals or bidets. Used appropriately, you can water your garden with greywater and save up to hundreds of litres of fresh water each day.

By using greywater for watering gardens and lawns, a household has the potential to save between 50,000 and 100,000 litres of drinking water a year.

Previously, Council approval was required for greywater diversion devices to be installed in homes. The NSW Government has changed the rules, and this is no longer required if certain conditions are met.

The Department has published guidelines for greywater use in households. The Guidelines relate to single, detached households only and do not include premises comprising of more than one dwelling. The Guidelines and fact sheets can be downloaded here:

• NSW Guidelines for Greywater Reuse in Sewered, Single Household Residential Premises (pdf)

As the national leader in mental health and suicide prevention for Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities the objective of MMHA is to provide consumers, carers and mental health professionals with the information and resources you need.

Below are just some of the resources that you and your clients can download for free from our website:

Reality Check

A practical resource that examines factors leading to under-utilisation of services by CALD communities and provides a checklist of 10 things that will make a difference in improving CALD service provision.

http://www.mmha.org.au/mmha-products/books-and-resources/reality-check

Beyond Words

This resource provides a model for delivery on promoting mental health issues and learning from CALD communities. The booklet also contains a checklist for organisations wanting to develop multilingual resources.

http://www.mmha.org.au/mmha-products/books-and-resources/beyond-words-lessons-on-translation-trust-and-meaning-from-the-no-more-2018mualagh2019-project

Cultural Awareness Tool (CAT)

A practical guide designed to provide guidance to primary care mental health practitioners for developing a culturally aware approach to working with mental health consumers.

http://www.mmha.org.au/mmha-products/books-and-resources/cultural-awareness-tool-cat

In Their Own Right

An assessment tool to support carers in their role providing information about the issues they, and the service providers who work with them face.

http://www.mmha.org.au/mmha-products/books-and-resources/in-their-own-right

Reducing Stigma

An educational tool to assist both mental health workers and consumer & carers to develop strategies within their communities to reduce stigma.

http://www.mmha.org.au/mmha-products/books-and-resources/reducing-stigma-about-mental-illness-in-transcultural-settings-a-guide

In addition you can find the following on the MMHA website:

• List of websites providing translated mental health information: http://www.mmha.org.au/translations/websites-offering-translated-mental-health-factsheets
• List of bilingual mental health professionals throughout Australia: http://www.mmha.org.au/translations/bi-lingual-mental-health-workers-directory