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Emergency Numbers – Quick Overview

112	Immediate assistance (medical emergencies, fire, severe accidents)
110	Immediate assistance (Police, for non-medical emergencies or to report a crime)
911	Does work in Germany, too, and will be forwarded to the above numbers
116 117	Medical on-call service
+49 228 19240	Poison emergencies

In the case of an emergency (!) the organisational office can assist you in contacting a first aid team or a doctor. For any other non-urgent matters or if you are not close to the organisational office please use the information below.

112 – Medical Emergencies, Fire, Severe Accidents

Dial 112 for immediate assistance in case of medical emergencies, fire or severe accidents. This number is toll-free and can be dialled from any phone, including mobile phones.

Answers to the following questions may help:

• Where did the accident happen?
  (So that they can immediately send help while still talking to you)
• What happened?
• How many injured people are there?
• What kind of injuries?
• Who reports the emergency?
• Wait for further questions you might be asked!

110 – Police for Non-Medical Emergencies or Crimes

Dial 110 to contact the police directly for non-medical emergencies or to report a criminal offence.

Please be prepared for similar questions as listed above for the 112.

911 – Works Here, Too

The internationally recognised emergency number 911 works for all of these emergencies, too.

It will automatically be forwarded to the numbers listed above.

Medical on-call service (“Ärztlicher Bereitschaftsdienst”)

With the number 116 117 you can reach a patient service with a medical on-call service around the clock – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This service is only available in German.

More information can be found on the Website of the Patientenservice 116117.

Poison Emergency Number (“Giftnotruf”)

In case of poisoning by chemicals, (medical) drugs, or parts of plants, there are emergency hotlines in Germany. There is no global number for this service. Each federal state of Germany has its own poison information centres available around the clock.

The one to call for North Rhine-Westphalia is +49 228 19240

The numbers of the other federal states can be found on this website.

Mental Health Support Hotlines

• The International Helpline Berlin offers emotional support for people in Germany who are in distress or at risk of suicide.
  Phone: +49 30 44 01 06 07
• The Krisenchat is an online chat in various languages reachable at Krisenchat.de.
• The Mental Health Support Hotline for Muslims can be called at +49 30 44 35 09 821.
  The website is here and supported languages are Turkish, Arabic, Urdu, and probably also English.

First Aid

It’s beneficial to know basic first aid. According to German law, everyone is obliged to provide first aid. Anyone who provides first aid is insured against all personal injury and property damage through statutory accident insurance, even if they injure themselves while providing assistance.

At many public places, including hotels and conference centres, first aid kits and automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are available. AEDs can also often be found in railway stations, schools, companies, and government buildings.

Hospitals, Clinics & Doctors

For non-urgent medical needs, there are numerous hospitals and doctors throughout the city. You can find both general practitioners (“Hausärzte”) as well as specialists.

Hospitals and clinics have an accident and emergency department (“Notaufnahme”) that is open around the clock.

If you need medical care and do not know where to find the nearest medical on-call service, you can dial 116 117, they will assist you finding the right place.

Pharmacies

Pharmacies in Germany can be recognised by this sign:

iStock Credit: ricochet64

The “A” in the logo is the first letter of the German word for a pharmacy: “Apotheke”.

Please observe these basic rules:

• Prescription-only medication requires a medical prescription (“Rezept”) issued by a medical doctor.
• Over-the-counter medications are available for minor ailments.
  Pharmacists can provide advice and assistance for minor health issues.
• Pharmacies and their opening hours at Düsseldorf Airport are listed on the Metropolitan Pharmacy web site.
• Some pharmacies operate 24/7 or have extended opening hours. Look for signs indicating emergency service “Notdienst” for after-hours service.

To find a pharmacy outside normal opening hours you have the following options:

• If you see a pharmacy look for a sign near the door indicating “Notdienst”; this will tell you which pharmacy is on late duty that day.
• Call the Emergency Pharmacy Finder at
  0800 0022833 (free of charge from land lines),
  22833 from mobile phone (69 Cent/minute with German SIM card),
  or send "apo" as text message to 22833 (69 Cent/message with a German SIM card).
  You will immediately receive several messages containing the nearest emergency pharmacies.
• The “Apothekenfinder” App for smart phones (Apple, Android and even Windows) and tablets shows the on-duty pharmacies, too.
• On the internet, you can search for pharmacies on duty free of charge using the online emergency services search on Aponet.de.
  Simply enter your town or postal code and all pharmacies on duty in your area will be displayed with a map.

Health Insurance

• Travel Insurance: Make sure you have comprehensive travel health insurance that covers medical treatment in Germany. Check whether your policy covers emergency evacuation and repatriation.
• EHIC: If you are an EU/EEA citizen, bring your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to access public healthcare with the same conditions as residents.

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