In an emergency, make an emergency call. In Germany, there are two emergency numbers - 112 for the rescue service and the fire department and 110 for the police.
Please only call the emergency number if it is a real emergency in which you urgently need help from the authorities (police, paramedics, fire brigade). Emergency calls are answered by trained employees at the nearest local control centre.
Control centre employees answer calls in German and can usually also speak English. If an employee does not speak English or the language of the person calling, you can sometimes be referred to an interpreter. However, this is not possible for every control centre.
The 112 and 110 can be reached around the clock. The calls are free.
- If you have an emergency or urgently need help from the authorities.
- If you know or suspect that someone's life, health, property or the environment is threatened or in danger.
- Dial 112 in the event of accidents with injuries or fires or if someone is in an acute, potentially even life-threatening emergency.
- Dial 110 if you need police help because you feel threatened, in danger or are facing a crime that requires police intervention. Or if you observe others getting into such situations.
The emergency call app "nora" makes it possible to make an emergency call in emergency situations without having to speak.
People with hearing and speech impairments, in particular, can use “nora” to quickly and easily contact the fire department, rescue service and police control centres throughout Germany.
Learn more:
If the “nora” app cannot be used, the request for help can alternatively be sent to a control centre via SMS.
Depending on your network provider, the emergency help SMS number is as follows:
- T-Mobile (D1) and Vodafone (D2): 99 0711 216-77112
- Telefonica (O2/Eplus): 329 0711 216-77112
Please note that there may be technical delays in sending the SMS.
If the “nora” app cannot be used, you can alternatively use the emergency number 112 by fax in case of an emergency.
Download the fax template (in German).
People with a hearing or speech impairment can use the Tess Relay service in an emergency. “Tess” transfers the emergency call to the relevant control centre and supports communication with a sign or written interpreting service. The telephone call will then be interpreted.
The service is completely free of charge for the emergency caller and only requires prior registration with TeSign or TeScript.
Learn more (in German):
To prepare for the emergency call, you can answer the following questions for yourself:
- Who is calling? (name, location, phone number)
- Where did that happen? (location of event, address)
- What happened? (Description of the event, traffic accident, fire, domestic accident, etc.)
- How many injured/affected people are there? (Number of people affected, their location and injuries)
- Stay calm and let yourself be guided through the conversation.
- Wait for questions. Please do not end the emergency call until you are authorized to do so.
- If necessary, at the end of the emergency call, you will receive information on how to provide first aid or what behaviour is recommended.
- Please wait for the emergency services to arrive, instruct them if necessary, and, if necessary, inform them of any important observations.