Emergencies and urgent care in Italy

Call 112 for danger to life or safety: cardiac or respiratory arrest, loss of consciousness, severe bleeding, severe chest pain, suspected stroke, choking, a serious accident, fire, a crime in progress.

• The operator asks which service you need then your exact address, the comune and what happened.
• Speak clearly and calmly and answer the questions, and do not hang up until the operator tells you, since they may guide you in first aid.
• State the street, house number, floor and the name on the bell.
• If your language is weak say English or your language and they will try to provide an interpreter.
• And the app Where ARE U locates your position and sends it to the operator.
• And end the call after he allows you.

118 for the health ambulance (in some regions it routes to 112).

• 113 for the police, 112 for the carabinieri (a military force acting as police), 115 for the fire brigade, 117 for the financial guard, and 1515 for forest fires.
• 1522 is a free confidential number around the clock for violence against women and stalking in several languages.
• 114 Emergenza Infanzia for children and adolescents.
• 800 833 833 is the poison information centre in some regions (Centro Antiveleni), and 02 66101029 in Milan.
• For psychological help and suicide prevention the Telefono Amico line 02 2327 2327.
• Save these numbers in your phone and tell your family members.
• And apps such as YouPol provide confidential reporting of crimes to the national police with photos and text.

The emergency department (pronto soccorso) at the hospital receives serious cases, and on entry they are classified by triage by colours: red (immediate emergency), yellow (urgent), green (less urgent) and white (non-urgent).

• You may wait hours if your condition is less serious, so do not consider waiting as neglect.
• For white cases a ticket is paid depending on the region.
• Bring your health card, ID and a list of your medicines and allergies.
• You are treated without being asked about legal status.
• If you do not understand ask for an interpreter or cultural mediator.
• And before leaving ask about follow-up instructions and appointments.
• And for urgent non-dangerous cases the on-call doctor may be quicker and more suitable.

Learn basic first aid in a short course offered by the Italian Red Cross (Croce Rossa), civil protection or comuni: cardiopulmonary resuscitation, stopping bleeding by pressure, treating burns and choking (the Heimlich manoeuvre), and dealing with fainting.

• In public places there are automated external defibrillators (DAE) that anyone can use with voice guidance, and their locations are identified via apps and maps.
• In a minor burn cool the area with running water for ten minutes and do not use ice or butter.
• Place an unconscious casualty on their side.
• Do not move an accident casualty except in necessity.
• And it is advisable to keep a first-aid kit at home and in the car and update its contents.

Post on the fridge the emergency numbers, your address in Italian and a list of your medicines and allergies, and teach older children how to call 112.

• Know the location of the nearest health centre, hospital and on-duty pharmacy.
• Check the validity of the fire extinguisher and smoke detector.
• In domestic violence do not stay silent: call 1522 or 112, and go to an anti-violence centre (centro antiviolenza) or the police or hospital, and there are shelters and free legal and psychological support, and no legal status is required for urgent protection.
• For minors at risk the line 114.
• In earthquakes and floods you receive IT-alert notifications on your phone, so follow civil protection instructions at once.
• And know the building exit and the assembly point.

What is the unified emergency number?