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Table of contents

How to call an ambulance in Portugal?
What to do in a medical emergency?
What are the emergency services in Portugal?
How did emergency services worked before in Portugal?
How to be prepared for an emergency in Portugal?
Private or public emergency care
How to be prepared for an emergency situation in Portugal?

Emergency Services in Portugal

Emergency Hotline Portugal

Emergency in Portugal

09/09/2025

Emergency Services in Portugal: 112, Police, Ambulance, Fire Helplines for Expats

Moving to a new country comes with the obvious checklist: visas, housing, schools, and paperwork. But there is one practical detail that matters just as much as your NIF or your lease: how to reach emergency services in Portugal.

In Portugal, as in the rest of Europe, the emergency number is 112. Call 112 for urgent situations involving police, ambulance, firefighters, serious accidents, or immediate danger. For health questions that feel urgent but are not life-threatening, the public system points many people to SNS 24 (808 24 24 24) for clinical advice and referral.

For many newcomers, the system can feel unclear at first. You might hear sirens and wonder who is actually responding. In practice, 112 is the front door: the operator triages your call and routes it to the right service, including INEM for medical emergencies, and the appropriate police force depending on where you are.

Expats often share the same two takeaways in communities: save 112 and SNS 24 in your phone, and when you do call, stay calm and give your exact location first. Some people report quick responses and English support, while others note that language and wait times can vary by region and demand, so clear, simple information helps the operator help you faster.

In this guide, you’ll learn exactly when to call 112 vs. SNS 24, what typically happens after you place the call, and which key helplines immigrants and residents tend to keep close, so you can feel prepared without overthinking it.

How to call an ambulance in Portugal?

To call an ambulance in Portugal, you should dial 112. This is the national (and EU) emergency number, and it connects you to the emergency medical service via INEM when the situation is medical.

How to do it (fast checklist):

Dial 112 and say you need an “ambulance in Portugal” (“preciso de uma ambulância” also works).
Give your exact location first (address, nearby landmark, floor/door code if relevant).
Explain what happened and the urgency (e.g., chest pain, breathing difficulty, serious injury), plus how many people need help.
Follow instructions and don’t hang up until the operator tells you to.

If it’s not life-threatening but you still need medical guidance (for example, you’re unsure whether to go to an emergency department), you can call SNS 24 (808 24 24 24) for advice and referral.

What is the national emergency number?

The national emergency number in Portugal is 112.

Use this emergency number for any general emergency that needs immediate help, including the main emergency services: ambulance, police, and fire brigade. It is available 24/7 and works across Portugal (and the EU).

112: Your essential emergency number

The most important number to commit to memory is 112. Forget 911 or 999!

This is the pan-European emergency number, and it's your single point of contact for any type of emergency, whether you need a doctor, a firefighter, or the police.

112 is your one-stop number in any emergency, whether it’s for police, fire, medical help, or sea rescue.

Behind the scenes, emergency calls go through Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs): regional dispatch centers that connect you to the correct service.

What to do in a medical emergency?

In a medical emergency, your priority is to trigger the right emergency response quickly and give dispatchers the information they need to send emergency medical services.

You dial 112. Your call is routed to a central dispatch center (Central de Emergência). The operator's first job is to triage your call. They will ask you for three crucial pieces of information:

What is the emergency? (Medical, fire, crime, etc.)
Where are you? (Be as precise as possible: district, city, street, number, and any nearby landmarks).
What is the phone number you are calling from? (In case the call drops).

Based on your answers, the 112 operator will then coordinate the dispatch of the appropriate services.

Emergency call as a non-Portuguese speaker

For many immigrants, the immediate fear is the language barrier. Here's the reality: 112 operators are trained to handle calls in multiple languages, and English is the most common one.

In major cities and the Algarve, you have a very high chance of getting an operator who speaks English fluently. However, as some expats have noted, this is not a 100% guarantee, especially if the call is rerouted to a more regional sub-center during a busy period.

Even if your Portuguese is basic, try to learn these key phrases:

"Eu preciso de uma ambulância." (I need an ambulance.)
"Eu preciso da polícia." (I need the police.)
"Eu preciso dos bombeiros." (I need the firefighters.)
"O meu endereço é..." (My address is...)

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What are the emergency services in Portugal?

Emergency services in Portugal are coordinated primarily through 112, the national (and EU-wide) emergency number. When you call 112, the operator assesses the situation and dispatches the appropriate emergency response, often involving police, firefighters, and/or emergency medical services.

Here are the main emergency services in Portugal you can expect:

Emergency medical services (INEM) and ambulance services
For serious illness, injury, or life-threatening symptoms, dial 112 to activate emergency medical servicesand request an ambulance in Portugal. Calls are routed to medical triage and dispatch (INEM) when the situation is clinical.
Fire and rescue (Bombeiros)
Firefighters respond not only to fires, but also to rescues and many urgent incident types (e.g., road collisions, floods, and other critical situations). Access is via 112.
Police services (PSP/GNR and others)
For immediate threats to safety, crime in progress, or urgent security incidents, dial 112. The response may involve the relevant police force depending on location and incident type.
Civil protection and major incidents (disasters, large-scale emergencies)
In major accidents or disasters, Portugal’s civil protection system coordinates response planning and operations through the national authority (ANEPC), alongside other operational entities.
Health services for non-emergency clinical guidance (SNS 24)
If you need health advice but it is not a life-threatening emergency, you can use SNS 24 (808 24 24 24) for clinical guidance and referral within the public health system.

In practical terms: 112 is the gateway for urgent emergencies (police, fire, rescue, ambulance services), while SNS 24 supports non-emergency health services and navigation of care.

Who shows up when you call?

This is where understanding the system gets a little more complex and where many newcomers get confused. Unlike some countries where services are strictly siloed, in Portugal, there is significant and deliberate overlap.

INEM (Instituto Nacional de Emergência Médica): This is the national medical emergency service. Think of them as the specialists. INEM operates the advanced life support ambulances (Ambulâncias de Suporte Imediato de Vida - SIV) and the famous "VMUR" cars (Viatura Médica de Emergência e Reanimação), which are rapid-response vehicles staffed with a doctor and a nurse. They are dispatched for the most serious, life-threatening situations: cardiac arrest, major trauma, strokes, etc.
Bombeiros (Firefighters): This is the cornerstone of Portugal's daily emergency response, and the group you are statistically most likely to encounter. The Bombeiros in Portugal are a fascinating mix of professional corps (Sapadores) in major cities and, for the vast majority of the country, volunteer corps (Bombeiros Voluntários). Their mandate is incredibly broad. Yes, they fight fires, but they are also the primary providers of basic ambulance transport.
An extremely common experience shared by expats is calling for an ambulance for something like a broken bone or a high fever and having a fire department ambulance arrive. This is completely normal. The Bombeiros are equipped and trained as emergency medical technicians and handle a massive volume of the country's medical calls. Their presence is a testament to the deep community roots and volunteer spirit embedded in Portuguese culture.
PSP (Polícia de Segurança Pública) & GNR (Guarda Nacional Republicana): These are the two main police forces. The PSP is the public security police, responsible for large urban centers. The GNR is a gendarmerie force with military status, responsible for policing the smaller towns and rural areas. Both forces handle crime-related emergencies, traffic control at accident scenes, and general public safety. If your emergency involves a crime or a significant public disturbance, they will be dispatched alongside or instead of medical services.

Additional helplines exist for mental health, domestic violence, LGBTQ+ support, and social emergencies, lifelines especially valuable for expats.

So, summing up:

Medical emergencies are coordinated by INEM (Instituto Nacional de Emergência Médica), operating the SIEMsystem across continental Portugal. While INEM runs call centers and ambulances in major cities, local fire departments and the Portuguese Red Cross often fill gaps in smaller towns using INEM equipment.
Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) receive solid training: 12 years of basic education plus at least 210 hours of specialized instruction covering life support, immobilization, oxygen, and more.
Policing: There’s the urban-focused PSP and the GNR, a gendarmerie-type force covering 94% of the territory, handling both public security and specialized tasks like search & rescue, coastal patrol, and more.

How did emergency services worked before in Portugal?

To truly understand the strengths and weaknesses of any emergency service, you must look at its response to a major crisis.

Emergency response for 2017 fires

For Portugal, the devastating wildfires of 2017 were a defining moment. The series of thousands of fires, particularly the catastrophic events in Pedrógão Grande in June and across Central and Northern Portugal in October, represented the country's greatest modern civil protection challenge. For immigrants living in or near these areas, it was a terrifying trial by fire.

An analysis of the response to these events reveals critical lessons:

Overwhelming Reliance on Bombeiros: The fires starkly highlighted the central role of the 'Bombeiros Voluntários' (Volunteer Firefighters). In village after village, the first, and often only, line of defense was these local units. Reports from the aftermath universally praised their bravery and tireless efforts, often working for days with little rest. However, the sheer scale of the disaster stretched these volunteer forces, and the country's overall firefighting resources, to their absolute limit and beyond.
Communication Failures: One of the most significant official findings after the 2017 fires was the widespread failure of the emergency communication network, SIRESP (Integrated System of Emergency and Security Networks of Portugal). In critical moments, command centers lost contact with firefighting units on the ground, hampering coordination and the ability to warn citizens. For residents, this translated into confusion and a feeling of being cut off as the situation evolved rapidly.
Reforms and Improvements: The tragedy of 2017 became a catalyst for change. The government initiated significant reforms in forest management, fire prevention strategies, and, crucially, the emergency alert systems. Today, Portugal is implementing a more robust public warning system that can send SMS alerts to mobile phones in a specific geographic area at risk, a direct lesson learned from the communication gaps of 2017.

It was an acknowledgment of the immense courage at the heart of the community-based bombeiros system and a sober understanding that during a nationwide catastrophe, official systems can be strained, emphasizing the need for personal preparedness.

Emergency response for 2025 Gloria tragedy

On September 3, 2025, tragedy struck when Lisbon’s historic Glória funicular derailed, killing 17 and injuring 21 people, mainly international tourists.

So far, what was observed in an urban tragedy:

What Happened? A critical cable failed at the attachment point, causing one cabin to plunge uncontrollably into a building, evoking urgent questions about maintenance.
Emergency Response: 62 rescue workers and 22 vehicles rushed to the scene. The injured were swiftly transported to nearby hospitals like São José, Santa Maria, and São Francisco Xavier.
Aftermath and Investigation: Portugal declared a national day of mourning. Investigations by both the national accidents office (GPIAAF) and the operator Carris began immediately. Funicular services across the city were suspended for safety inspections. Within the week, an initial report was released emphasizing attention areas within maintenance.

Emergency response for common road accidents

Portugal, like many countries, sees its share of road incidents:

In early 2024, there were about 14,045 road accidents, leading to 179 deaths and 954 serious injuries.
In the first half of 2025, PSP reported over 27,600 accidents, with 34 fatalities and 8,861 injuries.
Peak travel days (like Easter) can see hundreds of accidents in just 24 hours.
Services tend to be faster in urban areas, but emergency response is efficient through the whole country.
Injured individuals are removed by medical assistance to the closest hospital.

How to be prepared for an emergency in Portugal?

1) Save critical numbers:

112 for all emergencies.
Local services plus hotlines for mental health, domestic violence, LGBTQ+ support, and social care

2) Know your locale:

Urban? You're likely near INEM-equipped hospitals and faster response.
Rural or central Portugal? Expect longer response times, plan ahead and know the nearest health center or air ambulance option.

3) Language strategy: A translation app (like reverso) or bilingual friend can be a lifesaver in tense scenarios.

4) Get local support: Join expat Facebook groups, forums, or community chat groups for insider tips and peer help.

5) Stay informed: Big accidents like the funicular derailment show how robust, yet fallible, the system can be. They remind us of the importance of maintenance, quick coordination, and resilient infrastructure.

How do expats use emergency services in Portugal?

On blogs and community platforms, expats occasionally share their personal emergency experiences, which can offer both reassurance and caution.

An expat wrote about navigating the Portuguese ER, highlighting the language barrier and the challenge of dealing with unfamiliar hospital procedures.

Tips often reinforce the importance of:

Knowing your nearest hospital and its capabilities (especially in rural regions),
Having basic Portuguese healthcare documents ready,
Installing a reliable translation app or keeping an interpreter's contact handy,
Joining local expat or neighborhood groups for support.

Private or public emergency care

Portugal’s National Health Service (SNS) is both universal and mostly free, available to all legal residents, including expats, just register at your local health center to get your Número de Utente.

For emergencies, cost is not a barrier: urgent care either is free or is capped at approximately €40 for residents.

Additionally, there’s a health advice helpline, Saúde 24 (via number or online), which you can use to assess your condition and get referral help before heading to a hospital. If you call Saúde 24 before going to the ER, you may receive priority when you arrive.

Still, waiting times in public services vary. Many expats opt for private healthcare (faster specialists, more comfort), especially if they have coverage. Private doctors and clinics are abundant, especially in tourist-heavy or expat-rich regions.

How to be prepared for an emergency situation in Portugal?

1. Memorize 112: It’s your lifeline for all emergencies.

2. Know Local Alternatives: Identify the nearest hospitals, clinics, or private networks.

3. Have both SNS and Private info: Register with SNS; consider private insurance for speed.

4. Use Saúde 24 Wisely: Great for guidance and reducing wait times for emergencies.

5. Language Readiness: Explain you need English as soon as you call 112.

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Extra support services in Portugal (beyond 112)

Not every crisis is a “sirens and ambulances” situation. Portugal has several dedicated helplines that complement the core emergency response system, especially for victims of crime, domestic violence, housing instability, addiction, and mental health support. The practical rule shared across official guidance and expat communities is simple: if someone is in immediate danger, call 112 first. For everything else, the services below can offer faster, more specialized help.

APAV (victim support): If you’ve experienced a crime or need confidential support, APAV provides guidance and victim assistance through a dedicated helpline.
Domestic violence support (CIG): Portugal’s official domestic violence information line offers confidential support, information on rights, and direction to local resources. There is also an SMS option referenced in official government communications for situations where calling is difficult.
Homelessness and urgent social protection (LNES 144): The National Social Emergency Line is a 24/7 public service for urgent social emergencies, including people facing homelessness or needing immediate protection/support.
Drug and alcohol abuse (Linha Vida 1414): Run within the national health ecosystem, this line supports crises and questions related to addictive behaviours and dependencies, including alcohol and drugs, and can guide both individuals and families.
Mental health crisis and emotional support (SOS Voz Amiga): A widely referenced emotional support line, often used by people experiencing intense distress, anxiety, or suicide risk, with published daily hours and multiple contact numbers.

Helplines and emergency numbers in Portugal

What you need help with	Service	Number(s)	When to use it
Any immediate emergency	National emergency number	112	Police, ambulance, fire/rescue, serious accidents, immediate danger.
Urgent health guidance (not life-threatening)	SNS 24 (National Health Service line)	808 24 24 24	Clinical triage, advice, and referral within the public health system.
Poisoning / toxic exposure	CIAV (INEM – Poison Information Centre)	800 250 250	Advice on suspected poisoning/exposure and what to do next.
Victim support (crime, violence, harassment)	APAV – Victim Support Helpline	116 006	Confidential support, information, and referrals for victims.
Domestic violence (confidential support)	CIG – Domestic Violence Information & Support	800 202 148	Support, rights information, and referral to local resources (call 112 if in immediate danger).
Domestic violence (silent/discreet contact)	SMS support (Domestic violence)	3060	When calling is unsafe or not possible; text-based support route.
Homelessness / urgent social protection	LNES – National Social Emergency Line	144	24/7 urgent social support, including emergency shelter pathways.
Drug and alcohol abuse / addictive behaviours	Linha 1414 (Linha Vida / addictions support)	1414	Confidential advice, support, and referral for substance use and other addictions.
Emotional distress / suicide risk (listening line)	SOS Voz Amiga	213 544 545 (landline) 912 802 669 / 963 524 660 / 930 712 500 (mobile)	Confidential emotional support (hours published by the service).
Missing child support	Missing Children Hotline (EU-wide)	116 000	Support and coordination in missing child situations.
LGBTQ+ anonymous support	ILGA Portugal – Linha de Apoio LGBTI+	218 873 922 969 239 229	Anonymous, confidential listening and support (hours published by ILGA Portugal).
LGBTQ+ support (general contact)	ILGA Portugal	218 873 918	General association contact and signposting to services.
LGBTQ+ youth support (including risk situations)	Casa Qui	96 008 11 11	Support services for LGBTQ+ people, including youth-focused support pathways.

Final thoughts

Portugal’s emergency services are generally well-organized: one number connects you to the right help, and a mix of national bodies (INEM, fire departments, GNR, and PSP) ensures wide coverage. Yet reality, as seen in major incidents, shows gaps in language accessibility, rural coverage, and proactive support.

By understanding the system, tapping into local networks, and staying prepared, you can turn potential vulnerabilities into strengths during your time in Portugal.

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