The Minister for Police and Emergency Services has announced the creation of 20 additional jobs within the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA).
The Minister, Lisa Neville said the 20 ‘full-time equivalent’ positions would predominately focus on Victoria Police call-taking and dispatch needs.
“ESTA’s Triple Zero operators work 24 hours a day, every day of the year,” Ms Neville said.
“In 2018–19, ESTA answered more than 2.6 million calls for assistance across Victoria.”
“An average of almost 7,000 calls each day or a call every 12 seconds,” she said.
Ms Neville said police call demand had risen by almost six per cent over four years, from 1,296,049 in 2014-15 to 1,369,893 in 2018-19.
She said police calls represented over 50 per cent of total ESTA calls received.
“This new investment is aimed at addressing this continuing increase in demand, while also providing existing workers with greater access to existing professional development opportunities and Occupational Health and Safety programs,” she said.
Ms Neville said a recent Beyond Blue study, Answering the Call, found that the rate of reported mental health issues for emergency workers was significantly higher than in the general population.
She said ESTA staff and emergency service workers had access to urgent mental health treatment when required.
“ESTA call takers do an incredible job.”
“This is about helping them become even more efficient,” Ms Neville said.
