Find out what state arrangements are in place to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies and disasters.
In life-threatening or urgent situations dial Triple Zero (000).
Ambulance
The SA Ambulance Service is a government agency under SA Health, run by paid staff and volunteers.
SA Ambulance Service is the primary provider of ambulance services in the state. It provides:
- emergency ambulance services
- emergency medical patient care, treatment and transport
- non-urgent patient care and transport.
Ambulance cover
Ambulance costs aren't covered by Medicare, and even if you have private health insurance, your policy may not cover the cost of an ambulance.
SA Ambulance Service offers ambulance cover state-wide, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Find out how to apply for ambulance cover on the SA Ambulance Service website or phone 1300 136 272.
Country Fire Service
The SA Country Fire Service (CFS) is a volunteer-based fire and emergency service for outer-metropolitan, regional and rural communities of South Australia.
The CFS is the primary provider of bushfire and grass fire firefighting services across the state, and also responds to:
- building and motor vehicle fires
- road crash rescue
- hazardous material spills.
In most cases, the CFS is the control agency for the state’s emergency services response for:
- rural fires
- hazardous materials emergencies (in conjunction with the MFS).
Bushfire information
For information on fire bans and ratings, warnings and incidents, and bushfire safety, visit the CFS website or phone the Bushfire Information Hotline on 1800 362 361 or TTY (teletypewriter or textphone) 133 677.
Metropolitan Fire Service
The SA Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS) is a fire and rescue service with 37 stations throughout the state.
In these locations the MFS is the primary provider of building fire-fighting services, and also responds to:
- grass and motor vehicle fire
- road crash rescue
- chemical, biological and radiological incidents
- urban search and rescue
- high-angle rescue.
The MFS is the control agency for the state’s emergency services response for:
- urban fire
- hazardous material emergencies (with the CFS)
- search and rescue - structure (with the SES).
House fire information
For information on house fire safety see the Metropolitan Fire Service website.
Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services
The current Minister for emergency services is Joe Szakacs.
Police
The purpose of SA Police (SAPOL) is to:
- uphold the law
- preserve the peace
- prevent crime
- assist the public in emergency situations
- coordinate and manage responses to emergencies
- regulate road use and prevent road accidents.
SAPOL is the coordinating agency for all emergencies in South Australia.
SAPOL is the control agency for the state’s emergency services response for:
- aircraft accidents
- black system events (major power outages)
- bomb threats
- earthquakes
- marine transport accidents
- rail accidents
- riverbank collapse
- road and transport accidents
- search and rescue - land and sea
- siege and hostage incidents
- terrorist incidents.
More information about SAPOL is provided on their website.
Find your local police station
Search for your local police station and find out when they are open.
Recovery
The Department of the Premier and Cabinet coordinates support for communities recovering from disasters.
Visit the recovery website.
SA Fire and Emergency Services Commission
The SA Fire and Emergency Services Commission (SAFECOM) provides:
- Logistics support to emergency management agencies, organisations and SA communities during response, relief, and recovery operations for major emergencies and disasters.
- Movement of emergency equipment and personnel.
- Movement of emergency supplies, water, food, and fuel.
State Emergency Service
The SA State Emergency Service (SES) is a volunteer-based, extreme weather and flood rescue service for South Australia.
For SES assistance in an emergency phone 132 500 for help with:
- fallen branches or trees on a house or vehicle causing damage
- flooding
- storm damage.
The SES is the control agency for the state’s emergency service response for:
- extreme weather, including heatwaves and extreme storm
- flood
- search and rescue - structure (with the MFS).
