Call an Ambulance
Medical emergencies in Portugal – would you know what to do?
Call an Ambulance
Medical emergencies in Portugal – would you know what to do?
Vaughan Willmore looks at the work of the National Institute of Medical Emergency and how we can help ourselves and others in the event of an emergency.
Five weeks ago the actions of Jayne Michaels of Lagos helped save the life of her elderly Portuguese neighbour who was in desperate need of emergency medical care. Jayne knew who to phone, what information to provide, and how best to describe their remote location. Would you have been able to do the same?
It’s the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM) that has responsibility for the provision of emergency medical services throughout mainland Portugal. They do this either by providing the services direct themselves, or in collaboration with local fire departments and the Red Cross, and the ambulances and staff at their disposal.
All calls to the national 112 emergency helpline are directed to a national dispatch centre operated by the Public Security Police (PSP), who then direct the call to the appropriate emergency service.
If it’s a medical emergency, the call will be forwarded to one of INEM's emergency coordination centres (Centro de Orientação de Doentes Urgentes), the nearest of which is in Faro. They’ll need to know:
WHERE?
The exact location where you are, if possible, indicating points of reference.
WHAT?
The nature of the situation: accident, sudden illness, childbirth, etc.
WHO?
The number of people in need of help, their gender, age and main ailments, along with any changes you’ve observed.
OTHER INFORMATION :
The telephone number you’re calling from and the need for other rescue services such as the police or fire service.
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