G Whittaker, Ambulance Control Room, 1969
AFTER 1958
Installing 111 in the Masterton-Carterton area was seen as the fore-runner to 'ultimate Dominion-wide coverage'.
However it was destined to be a lengthy process.
As the Post and Telegraph Annual Report of 1959 notes: "It will be some years ... before all areas can be covered by 111 as older type automatic exchange equipment cannot be easily adapted to take the service."
While the Post Office continued on its mission to upgrade the country's telephone network, the emergency services also had their work cut out.
After heralding the introduction of 111 to Auckland in the next couple of years, the 1966 Post Office Annual Report observed: "Its introduction at a number of centres is not possible until fire, police and ambulance services can make the necessary arrangements to accept calls."
This no doubt referred to technical issues as well as manpower and internal structures.
Police, particularly, had a long way to go on all fronts.
In her police history, Susan Butterworth points out that 111 implied a guarantee of prompt and appropriate response to emergency calls.
"Unfortunately whatever was the case with the fire and ambulance services, the police were in no position to give such an assurance.
"Calls to one-man stations simply went unanswered if the constable was on his rounds and his wife was also out. It was at this time not even possible for him to divert his telephone to the nearest constantly manned station.
"At the very least, the system for responding to emergencies would have to be brought up to date."
This was one of the main drivers of Police reorganisation in the 1970s, with the development of larger, constantly-manned stations with control rooms and radio-equipped cars on patrol.
Work continued across the board through the 60s, 70s and 80s.
By 1988 automatic exchanges were in operation throughout the country and the 111 service introduced to all districts.
The stage was set for the IT revolution of the following years to change the face of the emergency call service yet again.
Main sources used to compile this material were the Appendices to the Journal of the House of Representatives 1956-1960, and More than law and order: Policing a changing society, 1945-1992, Susan Butterworth 2005.
