Emergency Services in Germany: Numbers and When to Call

Germany has a clear, nationwide emergency system. The most important numbers are free from any phone and work 24/7.

• 110 — police
• 112 — fire and ambulance (EU-wide)
• 116 117 — medical on-call service (urgent, not life-threatening)

112 is the European emergency number. It works in all EU countries and can often be dialed even without a SIM card.

Use emergency lines only for real emergencies. Ambulance misuse delays care for others and is taken seriously.

Police, fire, and ambulance

Police: 110

Call 110 for:

• Crimes in progress
• Immediate threats to safety or violence
• Traffic accidents with injuries
• Situations that need police right now

Operators usually speak German. English is often available, especially in larger cities.

Fire and ambulance: 112

Call 112 for:

• Fires
• Heart attack, stroke, severe breathing problems
• Serious injuries and heavy bleeding
• Loss of consciousness
• Severe allergic reactions
• Accidents with injuries
• Rescue when someone is trapped
• Drowning or near-drowning

This is the number for life-threatening medical emergencies. Operators speak German; English is often possible.

Medical on-call: 116 117

116 117 (Ärztlicher Bereitschaftsdienst) is for urgent medical problems when your GP is closed (evenings, nights, weekends, holidays).

They can:

• Send an on-call doctor to your home, or
• Direct you to a nearby emergency practice (Bereitschaftspraxis)

Do not use 116 117 for life-threatening emergencies. Call 112 instead.

Examples for 116 117:

• High fever that will not respond to basic care
• Strong pain that is serious but not life-threatening
• Infections needing same-day treatment
• Minor injuries that still need a doctor
• Any urgent issue when your regular doctor is unavailable

Not for 116 117:

• Prescription refills (try a pharmacy first)
• Non-urgent questions (call your doctor on the next working day)
• Noise complaints (contact your local non-emergency police line)

When to call which number

Call 112 immediately if you suspect:

• Heart attack (chest or arm pain, shortness of breath)
• Stroke (face drooping, arm weakness, speech problems)
• Severe bleeding that will not stop
• Serious accident or unconscious person
• Major allergic reaction
• Fire, smoke, or gas danger

Call 110 if police are needed now (crime, violence, serious traffic incident requiring police).

Call 116 117 for urgent medical care when it is not life-threatening and your doctor is closed.

Hospital emergency rooms (Notaufnahme)

The Notaufnahme is the hospital emergency department. Go there (or arrive by ambulance) for serious injury, severe illness, or after-hours emergencies that cannot wait.

What to expect.

• Patients are triaged by severity. Minor cases may wait a long time.
• Bring your health insurance card (Versichertenkarte), ID, and a list of medications if possible.

Calling tips and what to say

Stay calm and give:

1. What happened (fire, accident, chest pain, etc.)
2. Where you are (street, house number, city, floor, landmarks)
3. How many people are affected
4. What help is already on the way (first aid, defibrillator used, etc.)
5. Your phone number for callbacks

Even if your phone sends location data, always state the address clearly.

Simple English phrases.

• “I need an ambulance.” / “I need the police.”
• “My address is [street, number, city].”
• “A person is unconscious / not breathing / bleeding heavily.”
• “There was a car accident.”

AEDs (Defibrillatoren). Many public buildings (stations, airports, malls) have automated external defibrillators. Follow the device voice instructions and call 112 at the same time.

Useful links

• Federal Health Portal: Emergency numbers