50-YEAR HISTORY OF 111

• Before 111
• Planning 111
• Start of 111
• After 1958
• 111 in the 1960s
• Ambulance communications through the decades

• In 1971 there were 1 million phones in New Zealand.

KEY EVENTS IN 111 HISTORY

• 50s
• 60s
• 70s
• 80s
• 90s
• Now

1970s

• 200 manual switchboards are still in use.
• Subscriber toll dialling (STD) introduced by Telecom's predecessor, NZ Post & Telegraph Dept.
• Phasing out of manual exchanges by NZ Post & Telegraph Dept continues.
• 170 ambulance answering points nationally by 1970, each taking local 111 calls transferred by NZ Post & Telegraph Dept. Some initial calls for ambulance still taken by St John volunteers and hospital telephone operators at this time.
• Separation of ambulance call answering and dispatch from hospital exchanges in urban centres as automated exchanges introduced, and paid ambulance stations expand. 111 calls referred by NZ Post & Telegraph Dept to St John paid and volunteer call takers and to hospital ambulance services.