NATIONAL AMBULANCE SERVICE

ORSZÁGOS MENTŐSZOLGÁLAT

HIVATÁS AZ ÉLETÉRT!

THE EMERGENCY NUMBER TO REACH THE AMBULANCE DISPATCH DIRECTLY IS 112.

When to call for an ambulance?

Anyone residing or traveling in Hungary, regardless of citizenship status, can call for an ambulance if they are in need of emergency medical care or are in contact with anyone who does. Services, including air rescue, are free of charge and are considered a basic service provided by the government for anyone permanently or temporarily residing within Hungary’s borders.
The direct toll-free number to the Ambulance Service emergency dispatch is 104. Your call will automatically be routed automatically to the nearest emergency dispatch center. The European standardized emergency line, 112, is also functional with greater language interpretation possibilities. Your call to one of two emergency dispatch centers operated by the police will then be forwarded to the Ambulance Service.

When should you call for an ambulance?

You should call for an ambulance any time you perceive yourself or someone around you, whether they are strangers or not, to be in need of emergency medical care or have been involved in an accident.

Some examples of acute emergencies warranting an ambulance response include:
Traumatic injuries, uncontrolled bleeding, chest pain, cardiac arrest, stroke, neurological disturbances (difficulty moving otherwise normal extremities, slurred speech when otherwise not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, difficulty walking or standing up), pregnancy complications, suicidal actions, poisoning of any kind whether accidental or intentional, sudden initiation of labor or contractions less than 2-3 minutes apart, shortness of breath, severe allergic reaction, unconsciousness that is not the result of alcohol consumption, or any other situation where a medical emergency is perceived.
Remember, an ambulance should only be called for true medical emergencies.
The emergency number to reach the ambulance dispatch directly is 104. It is a free call from all landline and mobile phones anywhere in the country.
Since 1999, the European uniform emergency phone number is also operational. Its call number is 112; however, 911 also works and is directed to the 112 emergency call center.

What kind of information will the Emergency Dispatch Center need?

In order to properly dispatch ambulances, fire engines or the police to the scene of an emergency, some basic information is required by the emergency dispatch centers, so be prepared to answer the following types of questions by the dispatchers:

1. The address of the emergency If the address is not known or easily accessible, then try to explain to the best of your ability where exactly the emergency occurred . Unfortunately, at this time, GPS Geolocation services are not available from either landlines or mobile phones, so it is very important to have a good idea of what the address of the emergency is or a detailed description of your surroundings.
2. Your name and your phone number. This is important in case the call is dropped or the dispatched units are in need of further information. Try and stay on scene until the first arriving emergency units arrive if it is safe to do so.
3. The nature of the emergency and what happened. Try and stick to the facts and describe it in as short and detailed a way as possible. Long stories are not necessary and can delay the response time. The Ambulance Service needs to know what the severity of the emergency is in order to make sure the proper units are dispatched.
4. Provide as much information as possible. For instance, if more than one person is sick or injured, more than one ambulance might be necessary. Also, there may be a need for fire department or police response as well.