Fire & Emergency New Zealand

Emergency Caller Location Information

When you dial 111 from a mobile phone, data that helps determine the location of your handset is sent to the Emergency Location Information System overseen by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. This data is provided by your mobile network operator (for all handset types) or by your handset on supported Android and iOS smartphones.

The Emergency Location Information System turns that data into information about your handset's likely location. Authorised Emergency Service Providers (New Zealand Police, Fire and Emergency New Zealand, St John and Wellington Free Ambulance) are allowed to use this location information to help them verify where you are calling from, so they can respond to the emergency as quickly as possible.

The provision of this information is authorised by the Privacy Commissioner, via the Telecommunications Information Privacy Code 2020.

Find out more about the Emergency Caller Location Information service.