Emergency Phone Numbers for Rio de Janeiro

This came up in the comments of one of my blog posts. I started to comment back and it got WAY too long for a comment section. So here is some practical emergency information for Rio de Janeiro.

Emergency numbers:
Firemen      193
Police             190
Ambulance     192
Civil defense     199

These are public numbers and with the ambulance, for example, you will be taken to a public hospital.  You will have to ask your health care for their ambulance number and then, in the case of emergency, call both and see who can get there the fastest.  Don't forget that you can call a specific hospital directly and they will send an ambulance. It's said to be the fastest way.  Apparently they have a high number of prank emergency calls for public ambulances. No excuse, but it does say something about the system.

In all non-total emergency cases, you should get a cab. When my friend's son had a seizure and started vomiting (meningitis) we went by cab.  When my kids need to go to the hospital, we go by cab. 

Also, if you hear gun shots, do not run towards police men for safety, run away. They will get involved. Again, get in a cab.

Don't be scared. It doesn't help. Just learn where the closest ER (pediatric and other) is.  With private health care, make sure you get the option for ambulance transfer from public to private hospital. It's not included and if you are picked up by a public ambulance, you legally have to be taken to a public hospital. 

A wonderful hospital in Zona Sul is Copa D'or. They have an excellent pediatric ER as well as regular one (for lack of better words).  It's a large hospital and they are able to do many of the exams there instead of sending you elsewhere.  There are a number of wonderful hospitals in Rio de Janeiro.  This is the one I know.  I have been to the pediatric hospitals in Rio de Janeiro and I will always choose Copa D'or from now on.

Here are some hand numbers to have. I didn't even know they existed here:

Woman's delegacy 3399-3690
AA                        2253-4813
Al-Anon                2220-5065
Federal Police       2291-2142  (they deal with visas and all other Brazil related immigrant issue)
Civil Police            3399-3217

Here's the link to the full list: Emergency/Important numbers in Rio de Janeiro/Brazil