Nobody likes to think about things going wrong on vacations, but it does happen sometimes, and one should be prepared and informed about medical care in foreign countries. Dubai is mostly about fun and experiencing new things in your life, but in case you happen to have way too much fun and forget to take care about yourself, there are Ambulance cars covering most of the city, and they respond very fast; by peoples experience it will take less than five minutes for emergency service to arrive to the scene.
There are most common emergency situations happening almost on daily basis in Dubai. People are not used to very high temperatures in Dubai. Sometimes it goes above 45 degrees, and tourists coming from Scandinavia, England and Western Europe are not used to that. They walk around, go on tours, eat spicy food, which can all lead to dehydration because of the heat, and they just forgot to drink water and collapse. You won’t die from that, but you should always have in mind to drink a lot of liquid while having fun in Dubai and you should have the number of emergency service written down on a piece of paper or in your phone. The number you can always dial in case of any medical emergency is: 999; when the dispatcher answers, try to be calm and rational, so that they would understand what is going on. Be sure you can explain your exact location, and your Ambulance will be there in the matter of minutes.
Heat also causes fire. You are not allowed to smoke in the street, but you will surely enjoy your favorite cigarette on your hotel or house balcony. Try to put it out properly, because when Sun is high up in the sky – your cigarette bud could cause some serious damage. Don’t let your children play with sprays or lighters in the Sun because that can also be very risky. In case a fire happens, you should dial a number: 997. Dubai has excellent Fire Department. They respond extremely fast and all of their equipment is more than up to date.
Foreigners are often not used to very fast roads in UAE and extremely powerful cars in Dubai. Car accidents do happen. Before mentioning the emergency number, always make sure that your car is insured and registered; that is important. The number you should dial if you end up in the middle of the road with your car broken is: 800 4430. It is the Road Service.
And just in case you notice some criminal activities, or get robbed, which happens very rarely in Dubai, you should have in mind the Police numbers. Dubai police is very professional and it responds very fast. Have in mind that if you notice any drug activities or woman harassment, you should immediately call the authorities. General numbers are: 800 4888, which is a telephone number for talking to dispatchers and 4444 for sending messages.
If at any moment you feel any danger around you, and you are a tourist, you should dile: 800 4888, which is Tourist Security Service.
And most importantly – always have your phone with you; fully charged!