Tasmanians are being asked to save Triple Zero (000) for genuine emergencies, with health minister Bridget Archer saying up to one in five calls do not need an ambulance.
The Save Triple Zero (000) for Emergencies campaign began on radio and social media on October 19.
It will expand to Tasmanian buses, free-to-air television and streaming services from Monday.
Ambulance Tasmania responded to 120,831 incidents in 2025-26, the government said. That is 7,034 more than the year before, an increase of 6.2%.
Archer said people would always get the emergency care they needed.
“If emergency call takers, dispatchers and paramedics are tied up with non-emergency work, it can keep them from getting to those who genuinely need lifesaving and emergency care,” she said.
Ambulance Tasmania chief executive Nicole Ashworth said the service was experiencing “unprecedented community demand”.
“For health issues that aren’t emergencies, choosing the right care – whether through a GP, pharmacist or Urgent Care Clinic – helps people get the support they need and keeps ambulances available for those who need them most,” she said.
Lara Jedyn, Ambulance Tasmania’s director of operations, said crews needed to be free for cases such as cardiac arrest, chest pain and breathing difficulties.
“We’ve had a late flu season. We’re coming into the summer months and so resources are going to be committed,” she said.
Jedyn asked people waiting for an ambulance to call back if their condition changed, so the call could be reassessed.
People unsure where to go can call 1800MEDICARE to speak to a registered nurse 24 hours a day.
Anyone with a serious or life-threatening emergency should call Triple Zero (000).
