Tickled Squirrel April 2015 | Page 6

A Quick Guide to 112: The Emergency Telephone Number in Spain By David Ruiz 112 is a free emergency telephone number in Spain which offers a 24/7 emergency service to any person located within the country of Spain, regardless of their nationality and legal status. It is the number you use in Spain for ANY emergency. The list below shows what kind of emergencies are covered by this number, but please note that the list is not definitive . . . Car accidents Fire Health assistance Physical aggressions Theft Rescue Natural disasters Life risking situations/scenarios When you dial 112 the operator will decide which of the emergency professional services are required. It may be the Spanish National Police, the Local Police, Guardia Civil, Firefighters, Ambulance/Paramedics, or even Civil Protection. How does the system work? It’s easy. Just dial 112 for any emergency. Do not hesitate as that delay could mean the difference between life and death in some situations. It does not matter that your native language is not Spanish because the operators also speak English. Although 112 is a national s