EMERGENCIES IN VALENCIA
All three emergency services in Valencia can be considered to be responsive and professional. The police forces are highly visible on the streets, with police officers generally courteous and approachable.
Both fire brigade and ambulance services are well equipped and efficient. Emergency response and aid are seldom more than a few minutes away.
I the case of emergences, the unique number to dial for any of the services is 112. Operators should be able to communicate in English. Anyone in need of hospitalisation will be cared for in good facilities.
Some chemists and pharmacists in the city are open all night. In general, expats are treated by a medical service belonging to one of the better systems in the EU and perhaps globally.
POLICE IN VALENCIA
Law enforcement in Valencia is organised across three agencies. The local police, overseen by the city hall, concentrates on preventing crime, settling minor incidents, traffic control and intelligence gathering. Call 112 in an emergency.
The Spanish national police is responsible for issuing national identity cards and passports, controlling persons entering or leaving the country and legislation on foreigners, refuge and asylum, extradition, expulsion, emigration and immigration. The third is the Guardia Civil.
FIRE SERVICE IN VALENCIA
The fire service in Valencia is naturally on call for emergencies around the clock, each and every day of the year. The fire department known as Bomberos in castilian and Bombers in valencian delivers generally a reliable and rapid response in the city.
AMBULANCE IN VALENCIA
Several organisations provide emergency services with ambulances in Valencia. Necessary translations are fortunately easy, being ambulancia and emergencia, with the word urgencia very commonly used.
The number to call in the case of an incident needing a rapid response or the obvious need of an ambulance is 112. Or 061. The authorities request answers to three specific questions. What happened? How many people are affected? Where has it happened? And ask callers to follow instructions of the professionals.
HOSPITALS IN VALENCIA
In Valencia, well over a dozen hospitals and many more neighbourhood health centres are available to locals and expats alike. With its origins in 1409, the General Hospital of Valencia is possibly the most important amongst the healthcare infrastructure.
Immediate help is attempted to be dispensed by the universal public and private health care system 24 hours a day. That said, waiting times can be lengthy at times. Care by medical and nursing professionals is also available in a patient’s place of residence. The number to call in the case of an incident needing rapid assistance is 112.
A story with repeated periods of flourish and decline intersperses the history of Valencia. Roman soldiers were prevalent in Europe for several centuries before and after the birth of Christ. Just over a hundred years BC they settled in the area of today’s old city.
