Rescue Numbers

Calling for help in the mountains

In Europe the international emergency number of 112 will work in most cases.  However, it is useful to know the numbers for the local Mountain Rescue Services.  If you do need to use these numbers then take a moment to think about the information that you are about to give (especially if it's not in your first language).

Crucial information

Who? Your name / votre nom et prénom / 

Why? Nature of incident, number of people and urgency / nature de l'accident, nombre de victimes, gravité

Where? Route, itinary and altitude / lieu, itinéraire, altitude

When? Time / heure

Meteo? Wind, visibility / vent, visibilité

United Kingdom

112 or 999 and ask for POLICE - MOUNTAIN RESCUE (If in doubt ask for the Police Operations room for area that you are in).

You can now also sign up to the emergencySMS service allowing you to text from your mobile phone. This is particularly useful in areas of poor signal.

France

112 or better use the regional numbers below:

Savoie

PGHM de Modane: +33 4 79 05 18 04
PGHM Bourg St Maurice: +33 4 79 07 01 10

Haute Savoie

PGHM de Chamonix: +33 4 50 53 16 89
PGHM Annecy: +33 4 50 09 47 47

Hautes Alpes

PGHM de Briançon: +33 4 92 21 58 58

Isère et Drôme

PGHM de Grenoble: +33 4 76 77 57 70

Switzerland

144 in the Swiss Valais

1414 for Swiss Rescue Service REGA

In Switzerland you can also download the iREGA app from iPhone and Android which allows you to request assistance and automatically send your GPS position.  Details can be found here http://www.rega.ch/en/multimedia/mobile-app.aspx You can download this to a UK phone but you will need to sign up for a Swiss iTunes account, you can pay by using an iTunes voucher from a Swiss supermarket etc etc.

iREGA for iPhone http://itunes.apple.com/ch/app/irega/id415358154

iREGA for Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ch.rega.Rega&hl=en

Italy

118 or +390165 238 222 in Valle d'Aosta

Austria

140 for Austria Mountain Rescue Services (General Emergency Number of 112).

144 in Vorarlberg

Norway

Mountain rescue is coordinated by the police. Call 112