Italy is safe. But emergencies happen anywhere. A medical crisis. A stolen passport. A car accident. A lost child. When adrenaline is high and Italian is a foreign language, having the numbers, the procedures, and the embassy contacts READY saves hours of panic. Screenshot this page before your trip. Safety guide → · Pharmacies + health →
112 — General emergency (police, ambulance, fire). Works from ANY phone (even locked, even without SIM). Operators speak English. This is the ONLY number you need to memorize. 118 — Medical emergency (ambulance specifically). 113 — Polizia di Stato (state police — serious crimes, emergencies). 112 — Carabinieri (military police — also handle crime reports, accidents). 115 — Vigili del Fuoco (fire department). 1515 — Corpo Forestale (forest fires, environmental emergencies). 1530 — Guardia Costiera (coast guard — sea emergencies).
Call 112 or 118. Ambulance (ambulanza) arrives free regardless of nationality or insurance. Pronto Soccorso (ER): Every hospital has one. Triage system: Red (life-threatening) → Yellow (serious) → Green (moderate) → White (non-urgent). Tourists with non-urgent issues may wait 2-6 hours. For non-emergencies: Farmacia first (pharmacists handle 90% of issues). Guardia Medica Turistica (tourist medical guard — English-speaking doctors who make hotel visits, available in tourist cities summer. €20-50/visit. Ask your hotel reception to call).
Step 1: File a police report (denuncia) at the nearest Commissariato di Polizia or Carabinieri station. Bring: any ID copy, flight details, hotel address. The report is free and takes 30-60 min. Step 2: Contact your embassy/consulate for an emergency travel document. US Embassy Rome: Via Veneto 121, +39 06 46741. Consulates: Florence, Milan, Naples. UK Embassy Rome: Via XX Settembre 80a, +39 06 4220 0001. Canadian Embassy Rome: Via Zara 30, +39 06 854441. Australian Embassy Rome: Via Antonio Bosio 5, +39 06 852721. Emergency travel documents are issued same-day or next-day for scheduled departures.
Step 1: File a police report (denuncia) — ESSENTIAL for insurance claims and passport replacement. Available in English at tourist police offices (Ufficio Denunce) near major attractions. Rome: Via Genova 2 (near Termini). Florence: Piazza della Signoria area. Venice: Piazzale Roma. Step 2: Cancel credit/debit cards immediately (call your bank). Step 3: If passport stolen → embassy (see above). Travel insurance: File claim with police report number.