If you are moving to Andalucia for good you will at some point require the assistance of the emergency services and even if you are just visiting you may need help at some point.The emergency medical services are extremely good in Spain although if you are visiting the Inland areas you will need some understanding of Spanish to get by.

One usefull Number is 112 - This number will reach all the emergency servcies and they do have English Speeking Operators

Police

The Emergency Number For The Police Is 091.

In Spain you should be aware that there are three separate police organizations in Andalucia which can be confusing at first. They are The Municipal Police, The National Police and The Guardia Civil.

The Municipal Police are basically the local police. They wear blue and white uniforms. They are responsible to the mayor and town hall in each municipality. Most of their time is devoted to to local traffic control and parking violations. The are effectively ambassadors for their town ,they are very helpful and most likely to help tourists.

The National Police normally wear a black uniform and white shirts. Others will wear a blue military style uniform and can be heavily armed as their duties include guarding public buildings, the Royal Family and Government figures. They deal with most crime investigation which is important to know if you are unfortunate enough to be the victim of some crime, such as a bag snatching. If this is the case, you should make a statement (denuncia) at a police station. They will issue you with a copy for your insurance company (and banks if your credit card is taken and misused) .

The Guardia Civil They wear green uniforms and are less reactionary today than they were during Franco’s control. They are responsible for national security, customs and for crowd control at large events. Their traffic department patrol the main highways both on the coast and inland with cars and motorbikes and are responsible for radar speeding checks

Be Aware the all three branches of the police are armed and they should be treated with due respect. There are frequent checks and they can and will stop you in the street especially during the summer months , particularly on the Costa del Sol and you should always carry some form of identification (ie. Id card, passport etc) with you plus, if you are driving, your driving licence and valid car insurance and car papers or car rental agreement. They can take you to the police station if you do not have any identification or you can not answer their questions to their satisfaction.

Ambulance Services

The Emergency Number For The Ambulance Is 061

If the worst happens and you or someone else with you is involved in a life-threatening situation, such as a serious car accident, you should call for an ambulance. You can either call the local emergency ambulance number or if you prefer you can call the Red Cross (Cruz Roja) tel: 952 443 545.

There are also 24-hour private medical centers throughout the whole of Andalucia and many of these have bilingual staff. These services are listed in the Yellow Pages for the local area you are staying in.

Private ambulance services provide a 24-hour service in most towns and are listed by town under Ambulances in the Yellow Pages. On the Costa del Sol, there is also an emergency helicopter service (helicopteros sanitarios). If you live in Spain and have a Social Security Card which can be applied for at your local Health Centre you don’t pay for ambulance services.

Private patients are generally reimbursed by their private health insurance (or travel insurance).though it is best to check exactly what your insurance covers you for.
One thing to remember is By law, taxis are obliged to transport medical emergencies to hospital when requested to do so.

Doctor

If you’re need a doctor and are unable to visit a doctor’s surgery, a doctor will visit you at home at any time of day or night. If you need a doctor or medicine in a non-urgent situation and are unable to contact a doctor, you can ring the telephone information service 1003 or your local police station, either of whom will give you the telephone number of a doctor on call or the address of the pharmacy that is open

Casualty

In the event of a medical emergency and you are able to , you can go to a hospital emergency or casualty department (urgencia) or a 24-hour public health clinic. It is best to check in advance which local hospitals are equipped to deal with emergencies as some of the Inland casualty departments do not have all the services, Write down the quickest route from your base. along with local taxi numbers . In an emergency, a hospital must treat you, regardless of your ability to pay. You can check at most pharmacies who post a list of local clinics and hospitals where emergency medical treatment is available.

Pharmacies

For minor aliments, many people go to their local pharmacy (farmacia) rather than bothering the doctor or local hospital, these are easily recognizable by the green flashing cross displayed outside or in the window.

At Night and On Public Holidays Pharmacies take turns to provide an out-of-hours service known as the farmacia de guardia. You can easily find out which one is open by looking in a local paper or in the window of any pharmacy where they usually display a list.

Pharmacists in Spain are more highly-trained than in some countries and will provide treatment advice for many common illnesses and ailments, but REMEMBER they are not a substitute for going to a doctor if there is something really wrong with you.

One thing that you should be aware of is Spain is a quite unrestrictive when it comes to the distribution of medications that are strictly prescription drugs in other countries (such as antibiotics), so these are commonly available over-the-counter. You will also find that Medicines tend to cost significantly less than in other countries due to state imposed price restrictions.

Fire Service

The Emergency Number For The Fire Service is 080

The Fire Service is responsible for fire and rescue services including protecting the countryside from the frequent forest fires that affect the whole of Andalucia every year. Most of these fires are caused by people being careless when camping or disposing of cigarette ends so please take care .If you are found to be responsible for causing one of these fires the penalty can be very severe and can even result in your imprisonment.

Some Useful Phrases you may need:

I need a doctor, ambulance, policeman - Necesito a un médico, la ambulancia, el policía

Where is the emergency hospital - Donde está la Urgencia

Help - Ayuda

I have a heart problem - Tengo un problema de corazón

I/he/she is having a heart attack - Yo/él/ella tiene un infarto

he/she is not breathing - él/ella no respira

Fire - Fuego

I have been robbed - He sido robado

These are just a few useful phrases that will help you
If you get really stuck the your nearest British Consulate Will be able to offer you help and assistance

BRITISH EMBASSY MADRID WEBSITE

OR

MALAGA CONSULATE
The British Consulate in Malaga covers the Autonomous Region of Andalucia, and the Spanish Autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla in the North of Africa.