EMERGENCY NUMBERS The emergency number for police, fire or ambulance is 112. • The pan-European 112 emergency operators will speak English. You will be asked for the address and city where you are calling from and the nature of the emergency. • For information on emergency situations (noodsituaties) in the Netherlands, visit the government site www.denkvooruit.nl. • Residents can also subscribe to the government mobile alert service (www.nl-alert.nl), which will send a text message regarding any emergencies in your area. POLICE • The non-emergency number is 0900 8844. You will be connected to your local police station. • If your passport has been stolen, contact your embassy immediately for instructions as to what to do next. You generally need to make a statement at a police station to start any kind of official procedure (insurance, applying for a new passport etc.). • Visit www.politie.nl for information.
WATER EMERGENCY • Contact your local gemeente for serious (sewage) issues. • If the problem is in the length of pipe between the street and your house, this is the local water board’s responsibility; find yours at www.vewin.nl by typing your postcode in the box under Uw drinkwaterbedrijf. • For other situations that are your responsibility, search the yellow pages (gouden gids) for a loodgieter (plumber). SIREN • Each municipality tests their siren the first Monday of every month at 12pm. • For acute danger, a siren will sound in the affected area(s) and signals for people to head indoors. Information about the disaster or emergency will be published on www.crisis.nl.
FIRE • You can find information on Dutch fire services at www.brandweer.nl. AMBULANCE • In emergency medical situations you can call an ambulance. • You can also visit A&E but if a doctor could have treated the situation, you may be charged for this or refused treatment without a referral. • For non-threatening issues, you should first contact your local doctor or find your closest out-of-hours medical clinic (huisartsenpost). GAS AND ELECTRICAL EMERGENCIES • If you suspect a gas leak (gaslucht) or have a power problem (stroomstoring) you can call the national line 0800 9009; for serious emergencies posing a public threat, call 112. • See www.gasenstroomstoringen.nl for details.
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HELPLINES • ACCESS Invaluable resource for all international residents. 0900 222 2377 (20ct/min) | www.access-nl.org | helpdesk@access-nl.org • Alcoholics Anonymous www.aa-netherlands.org | National: 020 625 6057 • Animal emergencies Also provides a shelter for animals seeking new homes. www.dierenambulancedenhaag.nl | National: 070 328 2828 • Gay & Lesbian Switchboard www.switchboard.nl | National: 020 623 6565 HELPLINE FOR CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS • www.kindertelefoon.nl | 0800 0432 SOS 24-HOUR HELPLINE • Staffed by Dutch volunteers but many speak English. www.sensoor.nl | 0900 0767 (5ct/min)
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