The Triple Zero Custodian is testing whether people could text Triple Zero when a voice call is not possible or practical. Accenture Australia is running the trial in a simulated environment, so the public cannot access the service and the live system is unaffected. The testing runs alongside an interim review of Triple Zero regulations, which sets out eight key themes for possible reform. Minister for Communications Anika Wells said about 85 per cent of Triple Zero calls are now made from mobile devices. The final review report is due next year.
Victoria will add 11 AI-powered cameras to its bushfire detection network across the state's east and west. The $3.8 million project is jointly funded by the Victorian Government, Hancock Victorian Plantations and the Green Triangle Fire Alliance. The cameras use artificial intelligence to scan for smoke and fire around the clock, and the expanded network is expected to monitor more than 1.4 million hectares. The new cameras are scheduled to be in place by November 2027. Minister for Emergency Services Paul Edbrooke said early information would help emergency services respond more quickly.
Three volunteer emergency services in Wyndham will share in state government funding for vehicles and equipment. Wyndham Vale CFA, Wyndham SES and Wyndham West SES are among 350 organisations set to receive part of more than $31 million from the Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program. The round will deliver almost $20 million for vehicles, more than $5 million for facility upgrades and more than $1 million for other operational equipment. Werribee MP John Lister, a volunteer emergency service worker himself, said he was proud to back local volunteers.
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Victoria will expand its AI-powered bushfire camera network from seven to 11 cameras by 2027, with $3.8 million in funding. The cameras, which detected 40 fires in 2023/24 and 46 in 2024/25, provide 24-hour monitoring and early alerts. Emergency Services Minister Paul Edbrooke says the expansion will help firefighters respond faster to bushfires, with high risks forecast due to El Niño and dry conditions.
Emergency services in the ACT responded to 60 calls on Sunday after heavy rain and wind gusts of up to 72 km/h hit the territory. A tree fell on a house in Giralang, and another fell on a car in Griffith. Several suburbs lost power for up to three hours. No injuries were reported. Clean-up work is continuing, and the Bureau of Meteorology forecasts a cool, sunny week with no rain until Saturday, 31 October.
A storm cell struck Leongatha around 7pm last Saturday, bringing wind, rain and heavy hail. Leongatha SES received calls about fallen trees, collapsed ceilings and flooding. Three SES teams attended nine fallen trees or branches and five building damage incidents. One rescue was carried out. SES controller Teresa Jans said some drivers showed little courtesy to police and emergency crews at the scene, which she described as a concern. Local SES also cleared trees in Inverloch.
A 59-year-old woman and her 18-year-old passenger were taken to Sunshine Coast University Hospital in critical condition after a single-vehicle crash at Federal on the Sunshine Coast. Emergency services were called to the Old Bruce Highway, near Sankeys Road, at 1.45pm after reports a white BYD Seal sedan had left the road. The Old Bruce Highway was closed in both directions for almost three hours. The Forensic Crash Unit is investigating. Anyone who saw the crash or has dashcam footage is asked to contact Policelink, quoting reference QP2602102133.
Torrential rain and flash flooding across south-east Queensland have prompted more than 540 calls for emergency help. Sheep Station Creek recorded the highest rainfall, at 343mm, followed by Caboolture and Morayfield. Emergency crews carried out more than 16 swiftwater rescues, including one of an elderly man clinging to his vehicle roof at Caboolture. Several schools closed on Friday, and many roads remain shut. The Bureau of Meteorology says the upper-level trough causing the downpours is moving out to sea, though rain will continue for several days.
A car crashed into a popular 24-hour gym in Perth's south on Friday morning, leaving fitness fans stunned. Emergency services were called to Snap Fitness in Willetton shortly after 6.45am after a red Honda CR-V struck a wall near the entrance. The woman driver, in her 60s, suffered minor injuries and was treated by St John at the scene, without needing hospital care. Fire and Emergency Services said the damage to the building appeared cosmetic only, and no one inside was hurt. The gym will remain closed on Friday. WA Police are investigating the cause of the crash.
Five new SES vehicles will be deployed across the Fraser Coast's six SES groups, with the fleet upgrade costing $328,610. Funding comes from the Queensland Government's SES Priority Fleet Replacement Grant Program, which paid for three vehicles, and from Council's Disaster Management and Resilience Levy, which paid for two. Mayor George Seymour said the vehicles would help volunteers respond safely to storms, floods and other emergencies. Residents are urged to prepare for storm season and can attend the free Get Ready Food n Groove event in Maryborough on Friday 30 October, from 4pm to 9pm.
A free family event at the Coffs Harbour Jetty foreshore on Friday, 23 October, will feature emergency service displays, food trucks, live music, a firefighters' torchlight parade and a fireworks display over the harbour. The Community Engagement Evening runs from 5pm to 9pm and precedes the 2026 NSW Firefighter State Championships. Around 200 competitors from NSW and Victoria will compete at Maclean Street Sporting Fields on Saturday and Sunday, with entry free for spectators. Organisers say the championships are the first held in Coffs Harbour since 2003.
The UK government will create an AI unit to spot wildfires after a record-breaking summer of blazes across the country. Andy Burnham is due to unveil the plan at the government's first wildfire resilience summit on Friday. The prime minister will also announce £45m for fire crews to buy wildfire-specific protective equipment, after a Guardian investigation found that more than half of 29 fire services that responded had none. Military planes and helicopters will also be made available to fight fires in hard-to-reach terrain.
Noosa State Emergency Service volunteers sandbagged a Peregian Springs home flooded by heavy rain. Their work came as torrential rain battered south-east Queensland, though Noosa was less busy than areas further south. The Bureau of Meteorology reported about 240mm of rain around Caboolture in six hours on Thursday, October 22, triggering flash flooding, road closures and emergency rescues. Moreton Bay City recorded 152 emergency incidents, most involving structural damage. Noosa Council crews were assessing flood damage and roads.
Construction has officially begun on a $22.7 million fire station in Yanchep, Western Australia. Work started at 128 Yanchep Beach Road on October 22, and the station is expected to be ready by early 2029. It will be staffed by 36 full-time firefighters. Emergency Services Minister Reece Whitby said the facility will improve emergency response across the northern corridor and support local volunteer brigades. Butler MLA Lorna Clarke said career firefighters were important for the area, where summers bring hotter weather and bushfires.
Mansfield Shire Council has welcomed a potential Victorian Coalition government commitment of $2.8 million to transform the SES station at the proposed Mansfield Emergency Services Precinct. The pledge was announced on Saturday 17 October by Cindy McLeish and Danny O’Brien, who met volunteers at the SES Mansfield Unit. Mayor Steve Rabie said the funding recognised local volunteers and the precinct's importance. The council has urged all parties seeking government at the 2026 state election to support the full precinct.
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Firefighters suspect a house in Mt Pleasant was deliberately set alight. Emergency services were called to the Ullapool Road home at about 3.17am on Wednesday. Neighbours reported hearing a loud bang, followed by a car speeding away from the scene. Fire caused significant damage, with the roof collapsing and smoke blackening the garage. Red paint on the driveway reads, "Pay your debt dog". Authorities are investigating whether the fire is linked to the graffiti.
Emergency crews have rescued a 30-year-old man who fell from a cliff at Tynwald Park in New Norfolk. Police were notified about 7.30pm on Monday after the man, who was climbing down the cliff face, lost his footing and fell about 10 metres to a lower level. Tasmania Police, Ambulance Tasmania and local SES volunteers carried out a multi-step extraction, bringing him back up over 90 minutes. He was taken by ambulance to the Royal Hobart Hospital with lacerations and bruising. Police urge people to take care at heights and heed warning signs for dangerous conditions.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said counter-terrorism police are investigating after independent MP Helen Haines was attacked near her electorate office in Victoria's north-east. Police believe a 43-year-old man struck Ms Haines with a Toyota LandCruiser, and he was arrested at the scene. The live coverage traces how events unfolded, with the story organised around key developments and a running list of posts.
