Emergency numbers in Saudi Arabia: 911, 997, 998, 999

In an emergency in Saudi Arabia, you can call 911, the unified emergency number, or the dedicated number of each service. The national platform GOV.SA lists all of them. This guide gives the numbers, explains what to say when you call, how to request an ambulance with the Asefni app, and what to do after a road accident, a fire or a flood. Save the numbers in your phone now: you will not want to look them up when it matters.

In short: 911 is the unified emergency number. The dedicated numbers are 999 for police, 997 for ambulance and 998 for civil defense (fire and rescue).

The numbers to know

911: the unified number

The Unified Security Operations Centers (911) were launched by the Ministry of Interior so that a single number reaches all emergency services. The operator takes your call and dispatches police, ambulance or civil defense according to your situation, which avoids being transferred from one service to another.

The 911 centers have been rolled out region by region. Where you are not sure 911 is answered, use the dedicated number of the service you need: they remain listed on the national platform.

What to say when you call

Stay calm and answer the operator’s questions. Give, in this order:

1. Your location: city, district, street, a landmark (mosque, mall, school, petrol station). On a highway, the direction of travel and the nearest exit or kilometer marker.
2. What happened: fire, accident, illness, assault, drowning…
3. How many people are affected and their condition: conscious or not, breathing or not, bleeding.
4. Your phone number, in case the call drops.

Operators generally speak Arabic. If you do not, speak slowly in simple English and repeat the key words (ambulance, fire, accident) and the name of the district.

Do not hang up before the operator tells you to, and keep your phone free afterwards: the team may call you back to find you.

Tip: your national address (building number, street, district, postal code) helps responders find you quickly. Keep it written somewhere visible at home for family members and domestic workers.

Asking for an ambulance with the Asefni app

The Saudi Red Crescent Authority (SRCA) runs the ambulance service, reachable on 997. It also offers the Asefni app, which lets you:

• send a distress request for an ambulance without making a call;
• follow the status of the request and the route of the ambulance;
• share your location, so that the team can find you precisely.

The SRCA says the app is designed to be usable by deaf and hard-of-hearing people, who can request help without calling the operations room. The Authority recommends requesting emergency medical services through 997 or Asefni, as precise location saves time.

Tip: install Asefni and register before you need it. In an emergency, you will not want to fill in forms.

Road accidents

If someone is injured

1. Make the scene safe: hazard lights, warning triangle, move away from traffic.
2. Call 997 or 911 for an ambulance.
3. Do not move injured people unless they are in immediate danger (fire, oncoming traffic).
4. Call 993 to report the accident, or 996 on highways between cities.

If no one is injured

• Absher offers a Minor Accident Reporting service for minor accidents, through a form.
• Absher’s Accident Objection/Waiver service lets you object to or waive the share of responsibility assigned in an accident.
• Check that the other vehicle is insured with Absher’s Public Query Vehicle Insurance Validity service.

Unpaid traffic violations block other services, such as the exit re-entry visa: see traffic violations.

Fire, gas leak, flood and rescue

Call 998 (civil defense) for:

• fires, smoke or burning smells;
• gas leaks: do not switch lights on or off, open windows if you can and leave the building;
• people trapped in a lift, a vehicle or a building;
• drowning risks and floods.

During heavy rain, civil defense issues weather warnings. Avoid valleys (wadis), low roads and flooded crossings: water levels can rise very fast, and vehicles can be swept away.

Medical emergencies

Call 997 (or 911) for any serious medical emergency: chest pain, breathing difficulty, loss of consciousness, severe bleeding, signs of stroke, serious burns, poisoning.

For a non-urgent health question, use your health insurance provider or a clinic instead of the emergency lines, to keep them free for real emergencies.

Useful numbers that are not emergencies

Keep the emergency lines for emergencies. For other needs, use these official numbers:

937: medical advice by phone

The Ministry of Health’s 937 service is open 24 hours a day. It:

• gives medical consultations with doctors;
• offers advice and guidance in poisoning cases;
• receives complaints and feedback about health services, and follows up on them.

Example. At night, your child has a fever and you wonder whether to go to the emergency room. Call 937 for advice. If the child has trouble breathing, is unconscious or has a seizure, call 997 straight away.

Watch out: 937 does not send an ambulance. For any life-threatening situation, call 997 or 911.

940: municipal reports

Balady (940) handles reports to the municipality. It is not an emergency line: for a fire or a collapsed structure with people at risk, call 998.

Practical tips for expatriates and families

• Save 911, 997, 998 and 999 in every family member’s phone.
• Teach your children to call 911 or 997 and to give the name of your district.
• Keep copies of your Iqama, passport and health insurance card on your phone.
• If you employ a domestic worker, make sure they know the numbers and your address.

ℹ️ This information is for guidance only and may change. Always check with the relevant authority or its official website before starting a procedure. Spotted an error? Tell us.