How many of us here in the Algarve have had a minor emergency situation and think we know Portuguese, only to revert to English? What if you have a major emergency and have to call 112 (and not 999) and the operator doesn’t speak or understand English?
This is rarely the case here in Portugal as most operators do speak English, but if you have a situation where one doesn’t thats when you need to keep calm and do your best in Portuguese.
I have had a situation like this and completely forgot my Portuguese in my panic and could barely blurt out good English.
I have collated some basic short phrases, and added my own to the below script.
I hope you never have to use it but keep it handy just in case.
(My apologies to my Portuguese friends/readers for my spelling and grammar, I’m sure it’s not perfectly correct, I’m still learning, feedback welcome.)
When calling 112 if you have a medical emergency in the Algarve:
- Say you need to be transferred to CODU(Center’s Guidance for Emergency Patients) in Algarve or I need an ambulance urgently
- “Pode me transferir para CODU por favour” /ou “Preciso urgentemente de uma ambulância?”
- Say your phone number in case the connection gets lost
- "Meu número de telefone é ... um, dois, três, quatro, cinco, seis, sete, oito, nove, zero
- Say where you are (with directions or direction points like names of cafés or stores)
- My location is .... ........Close to .... Beside... in front of .... behind...
- Minha localização é ... Perto de .... Ao lado ...na frente de ...atrás ...
What happened
- Acho que um homem/uma mulher/ meu parceiro está tendo um ataque cardíaco ...*(Heart attack)
- I think A man/A woman/My partner is having a heart attack
- Houve um acidente de trânsito
- Had a traffic car accident
- Ele / ela não é consciente ou não respirando mais
- He /she is not conscious or no longer breathing
- Eu sei /Eu nao sei suporte basico de vida –
- I know or I don’t know basic life support (CPR in English)
- Eu tenho/ Nao tenho um desfribulador / DEA – (Desfibrilador externo automatic)
- I have or I don’t have a defibrillator AED – (Automated External Defibrillator)
- Arranje-me um desfribulador se possible
- Bring me a defibrillator if possible.
If possible give more info, like if you know if the person is allergic to something, or diabetic, or if you know CPR. Only hang up when you are asked to, or ask first as more info maybe needed.
Once the Emergency services (INEM) have your location, you should stay with the patient and on the phone listening to the operators instructions until they arrive.
Boa Sorte, and I hope you never have to use this service.
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