Emergencies and safety in Germany — who to call

112 — fire and ambulance

Call 112 (free from any phone, including mobiles with no SIM and no credit) for fire, medical emergencies, severe accidents, or any situation where life is at risk. The 112 number is standard across the EU and reaches the same emergency dispatch as if you dialled the local number.

Operators speak German; many call centers can connect to interpreters in major languages, but English is not always reliable. Speak slowly and clearly: name, location (street + house number + city), and what is happening. The dispatcher will keep you on the line and may give first-aid instructions.

110 — police

Call 110 for crimes in progress, immediate threats, or dangerous situations. After-the-fact crime reports (theft, vandalism, fraud, missing items) can also be filed at any local Polizeiwache (police station) or online via the state Polizei Onlinewache for many states.

For non-emergency police questions or follow-ups, call your local district police station; the number is on the state police website. Online reporting gets you a crime reference number (Aktenzeichen) needed for insurance claims.

116 117 — non-urgent medical advice

Call 116 117 (Kassenärztlicher Bereitschaftsdienst — the on-call medical service) for medical situations that are not life-threatening but need attention sooner than a routine GP appointment. The line is staffed 24/7 by physicians and call advisors, free from any phone.

116 117 can: dispatch an on-call doctor (Hausbesuch) at evenings and weekends, direct you to the nearest open Notdienst (emergency surgery), book a same-day appointment with a specialist, or simply confirm that home care is fine. It is the right first call for high temperatures in children, suspected food poisoning, severe pain that is not chest pain, or worsening symptoms of an existing condition.

Notaufnahme (ER) vs Bereitschaftspraxis vs GP

The Krankenhaus-Notaufnahme (hospital emergency room) is for genuine medical emergencies. Wait times for non-urgent cases are routinely 4–8 hours; the system asks you to call 116 117 first if it is not immediately life-threatening, because they often have a faster route via on-call doctors.

Bereitschaftspraxen (emergency surgeries) are GP-led services attached to many hospitals, open evenings, weekends, and holidays. They handle things that need same-day attention but not the ER. 116 117 directs you to your nearest one.

Reporting scams and cybercrime

Phishing emails impersonating banks, fake delivery notifications (DHL, Hermes, DPD), enkeltricks ("grandchild scam" — phone calls claiming to be a grandchild in trouble), and fake authority calls (Bundeskriminalamt, Europol) are the most common consumer-fraud vectors in Germany.

Report to the police via 110 if money has just been transferred (banks may be able to recall it within hours), via your state's online police portal for after-the-fact reports, and via the Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik (BSI) for cyber incidents. Real banks, the police, and government agencies never ask for passwords, PINs, or money transfers over the phone.

Home break-in: what to do in the first hour

• Do not enter the property if anyone might still be inside. Call 110 from outside.
• Once safe, photograph everything before moving anything — both insurance and police want the original scene.
• List what is missing, including serial numbers for electronics. Receipts speed up insurance claims.
• Call 110 if the offender may still be in the area; otherwise file via the Onlinewache or visit your local Polizeiwache. You will receive an Aktenzeichen — keep it.
• Contact your Hausratversicherung (contents insurance) within 24 hours; most policies have a notification deadline.
• If keys were taken, change the locks. Most landlords or property managers handle lock changes within 24 hours.

Power, gas, and water emergencies

Power cut: contact your local distribution network operator (Verteilnetzbetreiber) — the number is on your last electricity bill or on their public website. Most have 24-hour outage lines and online status maps.

Gas leak (smell of gas): leave the building immediately, do not switch anything electrical on or off, and call your local gas-utility emergency line from outside (number on the bill, often a regional 24-hour Stadtwerke line). Many regions also publish a single Gas-Notruf number.

Water emergency: contact your local Stadtwerke (city utility). Many regions have a 24-hour Wasserrohrbruch line for major leaks.