🚨 Emergency numbers in Madeira: the list to save before you need it
The emergency numbers in Madeira are not something you want to be googling at 3am with a fever or a fender-bender on the Via Rápida. Save them now, while you are calm. The island runs on the same European 112 line as the rest of Portugal, but it also has its own health service (SESARAM), its own civil protection, and its own sea rescue crews who pull people off cliffs and out of the Atlantic on a regular basis. Here is the short, no-nonsense list of who to call, when, and what happens after you do.
Last updated: June 2026In Madeira, dial 112 free from any phone for police, ambulance or fire, with English support available. For non-urgent health advice call the SNS 24 line on 808 24 24 24, open 24 hours. The main emergency room is at Hospital Dr. Nélio Mendonça in Funchal (Av. Luís de Camões, +351 291 705 600), and sea rescue (SANAS) is on +351 291 230 112.
For any real emergency, dial 112
112 is the one number that matters most. It is free from any phone, even one with no SIM or no balance, and it reaches police, ambulance and fire. Operators handle calls in Portuguese, English and other languages, so just speak English if you need to. Say where you are first (town, road, landmark, or the nearest civil parish), then what happened. Stay on the line until they tell you to hang up.
For health advice that is not life-threatening, call SNS 24
Not every problem is a 112 problem. For fever, a rash, a question about medication, or wondering whether you even need the hospital, call the national health line SNS 24 on 808 24 24 24. It is open 24 hours, staffed by nurses, and option 4 is a psychological support line. They triage your symptoms and tell you whether to self-treat, see a health centre, or go to the emergency room. It saves you hours in a waiting room.
Know your hospital and health centre
The main emergency room on the island is at Hospital Dr. Nélio Mendonça in Funchal (Av. Luís de Camões, +351 291 705 600), open 24 hours, every day. In the east, Machico and Santa Cruz lean on it too. Porto Santo has its own smaller unit. For everyday stuff like a sick note or a prescription, your local centro de saúde is the right door, not the hospital. Bring ID and your health number if you have one.
Save the police and fire numbers
112 covers it all, but direct lines help. In Funchal and the towns the police force is the PSP, reachable on +351 291 208 400. Out in the rural and mountain areas it is the GNR. The Funchal municipal fire brigade is on +351 291 200 930. For wildfires, floods or a missing hiker, the Regional Civil Protection Service is on +351 291 700 112, and they coordinate the big incidents Madeira is sadly prone to in dry summers.
If something happens at sea, call sea rescue
Madeira is an island, so the water matters. For anyone in trouble swimming, diving, on a boat, or swept off the rocks, call SANAS, the volunteer sea rescue service, on +351 291 230 112. The Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre runs on +351 291 213 112. If you cannot remember either, dial 112 and say it is at sea. Never go in after someone yourself unless you genuinely know what you are doing.
Find the pharmacy that is open right now
Pharmacies (farmácias) rotate a night and weekend duty across the island, so there is always one open. The on-duty list changes daily. Check the official regional health portal at iasaude.sras.gov-madeira.pt or the farmaciasdeservico.net site, type in Funchal or your town, and it shows you the open one with address and phone. For poisoning, swallowed medication or chemicals, call the national poison line (CIAV) on 800 250 250, free and 24 hours.
Keep one more list for the small stuff
Not every problem is blood and sirens. Lost wallet or a theft to report? PSP, +351 291 208 400. Car broken down on the Via Rápida? Your insurer's assistance line, or the road operator. Need a translator or feel lost in the system? A vetted local helper can call on your behalf and meet you at the office. Add the Portuguese Red Cross (+351 291 741 115) and your country's consulate to your phone while you are at it.
Hospital Dr. Nélio Mendonça (SESARAM)
Av. Luís de Camões 57, 9004-514 Funchal, Madeira
🕒 Emergency room open 24 hours, every day
Live island info
Keep this list close, and check the MadeiraLive hub for what is happening on the island right now, from weather warnings to on-duty pharmacies. New to Madeira? The newcomer hub walks you through health, paperwork and daily life.
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What is the emergency number in Madeira?
112. It is the single European emergency number and works across all of Madeira and Porto Santo. It is free from any phone, including one with no SIM card or no credit, and it connects you to police, ambulance and fire. Operators can help you in English.
Can I call 112 in English in Madeira?
Yes. 112 operators in Portugal handle calls in Portuguese, English and several other languages. Speak slowly and clearly, give your location first, then describe the emergency. If you struggle, the operator can often patch in someone who speaks your language.
What is the difference between 112 and 808 24 24 24?
Dial 112 for genuine emergencies with immediate danger to life: serious injury, chest pain, a fire, a crime in progress. Call 808 24 24 24 (SNS 24) for non-urgent health questions, symptoms you are unsure about, or advice at night. SNS 24 nurses triage you and tell you whether you even need the hospital.
Which hospital do I go to in an emergency in Madeira?
The main 24-hour emergency room is at Hospital Dr. Nélio Mendonça in Funchal, on Avenida Luís de Camões. Its main number is +351 291 705 600. Porto Santo has its own smaller unit. For minor issues your local health centre (centro de saúde) is faster than the hospital.
Who do I call for sea or cliff rescue in Madeira?
Call SANAS, the volunteer sea rescue service, on +351 291 230 112, or the Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre on +351 291 213 112. If you cannot recall those, dial 112 and tell them it is a sea or coastal emergency. They coordinate boats, helicopters and cliff teams.
How do I find a pharmacy open at night in Madeira?
Pharmacies rotate a 24-hour duty. Check the official regional list at iasaude.sras.gov-madeira.pt or farmaciasdeservico.net, enter your town, and it shows the open pharmacy with its address and phone. There is always at least one on duty in the Funchal area.