What to do and Who to call during an emergency in Belgium

Emergency in Belgium right now? Dial 112 for an ambulance or firefighters, or 101 for urgent police assistance. You can also call 112 and select the police option. Say the municipality, street, building number, floor and immediate danger. If someone is unconscious, severely injured, being attacked or trapped by a fire, call before reading anything else.

This guide is for people living in or visiting Belgium, including Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, Liège, Namur and smaller municipalities. It explains what to do in the first minute, when 1722 is appropriate for storm damage, when to call an out-of-hours doctor, how BE-Alert and App 112 BE work, and safe choices during floods, chemical incidents, fires and serious medical events. Reviewed against official Belgian emergency services and the National Crisis Center on 6 November 2026.

Quick answer: who to call during an emergency in Belgium

112 — life-threatening medical emergencies and fire: ambulance, firefighters and relevant urgent response, including a route to police. Free and available continuously.
101 — urgent police assistance: violence, crime in progress, threats or other police situations requiring immediate intervention.
1722 — non-life-threatening storm or flood damage needing firefighters: the number is activated during relevant severe weather. The online request form at 1722.be is available at all times and preferred when no life is at risk.
1733 — doctor on duty: non-emergency medical concerns that cannot safely wait until the regular GP opens. Not a replacement for 112 for life-threatening symptoms.
070 245 245 — Belgian Poison Centre: free, 24-hour specialist advice about suspected poisoning. If someone collapses, has seizures or severe breathing trouble, call 112 immediately.
116 000 — Child Focus: urgent concerns about missing children or sexual exploitation, including support and reporting, but serious immediate danger still warrants 101 or 112.
BE-Alert: official emergency warnings by SMS, voice call or email. It is a warning system, not a rescue phone number.
App 112 BE: the official mobile emergency-call app, offering location information and operator-enabled chat when speaking or hearing is difficult.

The official 112 Belgium emergency directory lists the primary lines. The National Crisis Center’s useful telephone numbers confirms which service each number reaches. Save 112 and 101 first; the other contacts are for specific situations.

Seven immediate actions during the first minute

Move away from immediate hazards if safe. Avoid heavy smoke, traffic, a violent threat, floodwater and live electricity. Do not enter a dangerous scene to gather more information.
Call 112 or 101. For 112, follow the recorded options: press 1 for ambulance or fire and press 2 for police. You can also dial 101 directly for urgent police.
Give the full location. Say the municipality, street, house or building number, postcode if known, apartment, floor and any courtyard or gate that responders need.
State the incident simply. For example: ‘A person has collapsed’, ‘smoke is spreading through our staircase’ or ‘a person is threatening someone’.
Describe how many people need help. Mention unconsciousness, breathing difficulty, serious bleeding, people trapped, dangerous chemicals or injuries.
Follow the operator’s instructions and stay connected. Even during busy storms, do not repeatedly hang up and redial; you may return to the end of the call queue.
Guide crews from a safe position. If possible, have someone meet responders at the correct entrance or junction and report any blocked roads.

An effective example is: ‘Ambulance, please. One adult is unconscious at [house number and street], [municipality], floor two, apartment four. Use the back entrance. My number is [phone].’ If you do not know the address, name a nearby shop, road junction, public building or landmark and tell the operator that the exact number is unknown.

How calling 112 works in Belgium

When you call 112 in Belgium, a recorded message offers a choice: press 1 for ambulance or fire brigade, press 2 for police. If you do not choose, the message repeats once and the call is then routed to a competent emergency centre. The operator will ask where the incident is and what happened. Remain connected so responders can obtain clarification.

Belgium’s emergency service advises giving the exact address, including a cross street or access instruction, and stating if you are calling from somewhere other than the incident itself. On the official call instructions, the government warns not to hang up while waiting because you can lose your place in the queue. See How to call 112 and 112 FAQs.

Medical emergencies: ambulance on 112

Someone is unconscious or not breathing normally

Call 112 for loss of consciousness, severe breathing difficulties, major injuries, chest pain suggestive of a heart attack, signs of stroke, severe bleeding or another immediately dangerous condition. Explain symptoms rather than trying to give a diagnosis. The dispatcher may provide instructions for CPR or an automated external defibrillator (AED), depending on the incident.

If a person is unresponsive and not breathing normally, ask someone to bring the nearest accessible AED if available and follow dispatcher directions and appropriate first-aid training. Avoid giving food or liquids to someone unconscious or unable to swallow. For suspected serious trauma, avoid unnecessary movement unless staying in place is immediately dangerous.

An apartment, office or shopping centre may have several entrances. The person calling can stay with the patient if safe while another helper meets the ambulance at the gate. Inform the operator of mobility limitations, a locked door or a non-working lift.

If the condition is urgent but not immediately life-threatening

Contact an appropriate GP or the out-of-hours doctor service on 1733 when the condition cannot wait for ordinary consulting hours. This is not a free emergency ambulance dispatch service. If symptoms change dramatically, someone loses consciousness or becomes unable to breathe normally, call 112 rather than waiting for a doctor-on-duty appointment.

The Belgian 112 service describes 1733 as a local-rate service for non-urgent medical assistance linked to local out-of-hours care. It should not be confused with emergency response. Official explanation: Who and how to call.

Poisoning and chemical ingestion: 070 245 245

The Belgian Poison Centre is available around the clock on 070 245 245. Call when someone may have swallowed an unsafe medicine, household chemical, poisonous plant or other substance, or has had a potentially harmful exposure. Have the product name, amount, time, age and symptoms available when known, but do not delay the call if you cannot find the container.

The Centre warns not to induce vomiting and not to give milk as a supposed antidote. Severe breathing difficulty, loss of consciousness, seizures or rapid serious deterioration require calling 112 immediately. If the incident also involves dangerous fumes, make sure you do not enter the contaminated space. Official details: when to call the Poison Centre and Poison Centre contacts.

Fire, smoke and building evacuation

Call 112 for a spreading fire, serious smoke, explosion or another life-threatening fire-service incident. Activate the alarm if appropriate and leave by a safe exit. Avoid lifts during an active fire unless firefighters direct you otherwise. Close doors behind you when safe, and never re-enter to retrieve a wallet, passport, laptop or other possession.

If you cannot leave because smoke blocks the corridor or stairwell, do not force your way through dense smoke. Report the room, floor, window or balcony location and the nearest accessible entrance to the emergency operator. Building-specific guidance from firefighters takes priority over generic internet instructions.

Belgian city-centre buildings can have rear entrances, multiple staircases or courtyard gates, while industrial facilities may have loading entrances. Tell firefighters which road and door they should use and whether anyone is missing. Avoid investigating unknown chemicals, gas cylinders or electrical equipment inside an unsafe area.

Urgent police assistance: 101 rather than a general enquiry

For a current assault, armed threat, serious robbery, a dangerous offender or another immediate police emergency, dial 101, or select the police route on 112. Move to safety before calling where possible. State the exact street, what is happening, observed weapons and injuries, and whether the person has left. Do not confront or pursue a dangerous suspect to photograph them.

A theft discovered after the offender has left and nobody faces immediate danger usually belongs with the local police zone’s non-emergency reporting route, not 101. You can find the relevant local force through Belgian Police. The distinction is immediate safety: an event that is upsetting but not ongoing may still need reporting without urgent dispatch.

1722: when you need storm help, but nobody’s life is in danger

Belgium separates weather-related non-life-threatening assistance from emergency rescues. During major storms or flood risk, 1722 may be activated to request fire-service help for significant roof damage, flooded premises or similar problems that require firefighters but do not threaten life. The government recommends the 1722 online form as the most efficient way to request such assistance. The online form is available at all times.

1722 is not a continuously active emergency phone line. If a road presents an immediate danger, a building risks collapse, a fire has started or people are trapped or injured, call 112. For a damaged garden shed or ordinary power failure that does not require the fire brigade, contact an appropriate qualified tradesperson, utility or insurer.

This distinction keeps 112 available for people whose lives are in danger. The government is explicit: Belgian 112 versus 1722 guidance and National Crisis Center flood advice.

Flooding and severe rain: what to do

Fast surface flooding or rising rivers can threaten cellars, roads and low-lying neighbourhoods. Avoid driving into water or walking through a submerged underpass. Water may hide damaged road surfaces, open drains, debris and live electrical hazards. Follow local authority evacuation instructions, and do not enter a flooded basement to retrieve a car or touch immersed electrical equipment.

If you are safely able to prepare before a flood arrives, move essential medication and documents higher, check known exit routes and monitor official alerts. When water is rising or roads are closed, protecting life matters more than moving property. Call 112 if someone is trapped or threatened, and use 1722 online for qualifying fire-service storm assistance that is not life-threatening.

Belgium’s Crisis Center provides specific advice for surface-water flooding, including avoiding dangerous areas, observing evacuation instructions and using 1722 appropriately. It advises shutting off utilities only where safe and checking official water-safety notices afterwards. See Surface-water flooding.

BE-Alert: how to receive official instructions

BE-Alert is Belgium’s government warning system. Authorities may send an SMS, email or voice call containing information and protective instructions. Registering your home, workplace or another relevant address can help you receive alerts for more than one location. In some incidents, the authorities can also send geographically targeted messages to people physically present in the threatened area, even if they have not registered.

A genuine BE-Alert emergency message starts with BE-Alert and may arrive from 1789 or 0477 77 77 55. An alert is free and should not ask for bank details. Read what incident it concerns, which area is affected and what action is required; do not click suspicious links or send financial information to an imitator.

A warning may ask residents to shelter indoors, avoid a street or evacuate along a particular route. The message itself matters more than a universal rule. Register and review how messages are authenticated through National Crisis Center’s BE-Alert guidance.

Shelter or evacuate? These are opposite choices

During a chemical release or toxic smoke plume, authorities may tell you to go indoors, close windows and switch off ventilation drawing in outside air. During a spreading building fire you generally leave by a safe escape route. In a wider neighbourhood incident, the Crisis Center advises waiting for specific government instructions rather than independently evacuating into an unseen hazard. The safest action depends on the specific incident.

When instructed to shelter, remain indoors until officials give an all-clear or another direction. If ordered to evacuate, use the official route and take medication and essential items when this does not delay leaving. Keep children with a safe adult and report any person who cannot evacuate independently. Sources: Seeking shelter and Evacuate.

Chemical, gas and industrial incidents

Belgium has industrial facilities that may contain hazardous substances. If an unfamiliar chemical odour, vapour or widespread irritation appears near an incident, move away from the immediate release, avoid approaching it and follow BE-Alert or emergency-service instructions. The National Crisis Center often recommends sheltering indoors, closing windows and stopping ventilation when a chemical cloud is outside. A different event may require evacuation.

Do not try to identify a leaking chemical by sniffing a container or walking into fumes. If you have been directly exposed, follow official decontamination advice and seek emergency medical care for severe breathing difficulty, collapse or other serious symptoms. Detailed government guidance: Release of chemical substances.

112 BE app: emergency calling with location and chat

App 112 BE is the official emergency application for contacting ambulance, fire or police. You choose the relevant service, and the app can pass your location and any optional pre-registered medical or communication details to the emergency operator. Where speaking or hearing is difficult, the operator may enable chat; this is not a general-purpose chatroom for routine enquiries.

The app can be especially helpful for a person with a hearing or speech impairment, a traveller uncertain of the local street address or a person with important medication allergies. It should be installed and configured in advance if you expect to use it. Do not delay a working emergency call while downloading or setting up an app. Official information: App 112 BE.

What Belgium’s three language regions mean for an emergency call

Belgium has Dutch-, French- and German-speaking regions as well as multilingual Brussels. During an urgent call, provide the correct local street name and municipality in whichever form is known, and clearly describe the danger. English may help some operators, but no guide can guarantee instant assistance in every language and every call centre. A written address and visible building number are often more useful than a long script.

French: ‘J’ai besoin d’une ambulance’ — I need an ambulance; ‘Il y a un incendie’ — There is a fire.
Dutch: ‘Ik heb een ambulance nodig’ — I need an ambulance; ‘Er is brand’ — There is a fire.
German: ‘Ich brauche einen Rettungswagen’ — I need an ambulance; ‘Es brennt’ — There is a fire.
For the location: say the street, number, municipality, floor, nearby gate or railway station.
For a person’s condition: say the person is unconscious, not breathing normally, seriously injured or trapped.
For communication difficulty: ask a safe nearby person to help read out an address, without postponing the emergency call.

Road accidents, railway danger and public transport

At a serious crash involving injuries, leaking fuel, fire or immediate danger to traffic, call 112. Give the motorway or road name, travel direction, nearest exit, kilometre marker, bridge or intersection. Do not step into live traffic to obtain details or take photographs. If a vehicle is in a dangerous position, seek safety while responding services are organised.

For a railway or station incident, notify transport staff and use emergency contacts as appropriate. Belgium’s Crisis Center lists 1711 for Infrabel to stop train traffic in an emergency and 0800 30 230 for SNCB/Securail railway safety. If people face immediate physical danger, call 112 first. The specialist contacts are described at the Crisis Center directory.

Prepare a household plan that works for 72 hours

Belgium’s National Crisis Center recommends keeping a household emergency kit sufficient for at least 72 hours of basic self-reliance. An extended outage or evacuation may interrupt electricity, water, heating, shopping, banking and mobile internet. An expensive pre-packed kit is not essential; a thoughtful set of supplies matched to the household is more useful.

Write 112, 101, the official 1722 website, 1733 and Poison Centre 070 245 245 on a visible card.
Save the home address, floor, apartment, courtyard gate and a street landmark that responders can find.
Register relevant addresses for BE-Alert and check your municipality’s official information channels.
Keep medication, first-aid supplies, drinking water and suitable ready-to-eat food accessible.
Maintain a torch, batteries, charged power bank, radio or alternative warning receiver.
Plan for pets, babies, older adults, disability, hearing or language needs and powered medical devices.
Identify the safe fire exit, an outdoor meeting point and any alternative shelter or evacuation arrangement.
Keep useful documents and a little cash accessible for essential needs during payment outages.

The government emphasises personal needs, not simply a universal shopping list. The National Crisis Center emergency-kit guidance describes what to prepare for both evacuation and longer periods without basic services.

Mistakes that delay rescue

Using 1722 for an immediate risk to life instead of calling 112.
Calling 1733 rather than 112 when someone is unresponsive, not breathing normally or seriously injured.
Assuming 1722 is an active 24-hour telephone line even when no severe-weather activation exists.
Giving only ‘Brussels’ or ‘Antwerp’ without the exact building, municipality, floor or entrance.
Trying to retrieve a vehicle from a flooded basement when electric or structural danger exists.
Believing BE-Alert is the same as the 112 BE emergency-call app.
Opening a door or window during a toxic smoke shelter-in-place warning before officials say it is safe.
Calling a relative, insurer or general support service before the ambulance or firefighters in a life-threatening incident.

Frequently asked questions about Belgian emergencies

What is the main emergency number in Belgium?

112 reaches medical or fire emergency assistance and can route to police. 101 directly reaches urgent police services. Follow the 112 voice menu when calling it.

Should I call 1722 for storm damage?

Only when fire-service assistance is needed and life is not endangered. The telephone number is activated during severe-weather conditions; the online form at 1722.be is available throughout the year. Call 112 for immediate danger.

What is the difference between 112 BE and BE-Alert?

App 112 BE helps people contact emergency services and share location or optional information. BE-Alert sends warning messages from authorities to people in affected areas. One initiates a request for help; the other warns the public.

Can I call the Belgian Poison Centre at night?

Yes. 070 245 245 operates 24 hours a day. A life-threatening poisoning with collapse, seizures or serious breathing difficulty requires 112.

Does Belgium have an emergency SMS for everyone?

Do not assume that ordinary SMS to 112 is a universal contact route. The official App 112 BE offers operator-enabled chat for people who cannot speak or hear. Prepare accessibility tools in advance and call directly when possible.

How do I know whether a BE-Alert message is genuine?

The Crisis Center says an official emergency alert starts with ‘BE-Alert’, comes from the published sender number and never asks for bank information. Check the municipality or Crisis Center’s official channels if you suspect fraud, without ignoring an immediate safety instruction.

Official Belgian sources and related country guides

Public safety note: General information does not replace live dispatch or a medical assessment. Service availability, weather and local orders can change. Emergency numbers and safety procedures checked on 6 November 2026. For immediate danger in Belgium, call 112 or 101 now.