Emergency numbers and help in Egypt

The numbers

• 126, the tourist police, is the one to save. They are a dedicated force at the major sites and in the resort towns, they speak English, and they are far more use to a visitor than the general police line.
• Operators on 122 and 123 may not speak English. Have someone from your hotel call if you can.
• Ambulance response is slow outside the cities and resorts. In many situations a taxi to a private hospital is faster.
• 911 and 112 do not work here.

Practicalities

• Report theft to the tourist police and get the written report. No insurer pays without it and you will not get one after you fly home.
• Photograph your passport, visa and insurance policy and keep copies separate from the originals.
• If you lose your passport, go to the police, then your embassy in Cairo. Most consulates are in Cairo, with a few in Alexandria and Hurghada, which matters if you are on the Red Sea.
• Save your insurer's 24-hour line offline with the international dialling code.
• Keep US dollars in cash somewhere separate as a fallback.

Diving emergencies

• Recompression chambers are at Sharm El-Sheikh, Dahab and Hurghada.
• Check your insurance covers diving to the depth you will actually dive, and covers chamber treatment and evacuation. Standard travel policies frequently do not.
• Ask your operator where the nearest chamber is and how they would get you there before you dive with them. A good operator has an immediate answer.
• DAN membership is worth it if you are doing a diving trip.

Heat and other emergencies

• Heatstroke is the commonest serious visitor emergency in summer, especially at Luxor and Aswan. Symptoms are confusion, headache, nausea and stopping sweating. Get into shade and cool the person immediately.
• Sandstorms, the khamsin, occur mainly in spring and can close roads and airports for a day.
• Flash floods in the Sinai and desert wadis follow rare heavy rain and are dangerous. Do not camp in a wadi if rain is forecast.
• If there is unrest, stay away from demonstrations entirely. Foreigners photographing protests have been detained.