Emergency numbers and what actually happens if you call — worth knowing early

Great thing to sort in week one. Save the emergency number AND the non-emergency medical line in your phone the day you arrive — the second one is what you actually need for the 'worrying but not 999' situations.

In my experience the operators could switch to English, but it's worth confirming for your specific country rather than assuming. In a panic is the worst time to discover otherwise.

Learn the difference between calling an ambulance and going to the emergency department yourself — the 'right' choice varies by country and using the wrong one can cost you money or time. I asked my GP to explain the local etiquette.

OP here — the non-emergency line tip is gold, thank you. I'd only saved the big emergency number and would've had no idea what to do with the in-between stuff.

Keep a small card in your wallet with your address, blood type, allergies, medications and an emergency contact, in the local language. If you can't speak in a crisis, that card speaks for you.

Teach the kids the local emergency number too — ours only knew the one from our home country, which wouldn't have helped them here. A five-minute conversation worth having early.

Also worth knowing which nearby hospital actually has an emergency department — not all do. I mapped mine in advance so I'm not googling it in a stressful moment.

Many countries now have an emergency SMS or app option for people who can't speak or can't communicate verbally — worth checking if yours does and setting it up. Quietly reassuring to have.