What Happens If You Have An Emergency In Paradise?

Have you ever wondered what happens if you have an emergency when you live in Panama? What if you need to call the police, fire department or need an ambulance but don’t speak Spanish?

There is a 911 service in Panama, but the emergency operator will probably only speak Spanish. And there is a special “tourist police” emergency number, 511 9260, but it is primarily for Panama City.

TO THE RESCUE…

Some, but not all, communities in Panama have a private bi-lingual emergency number you can call 24 hours a day to get the help you need. These are usually paid subscriptions services. The small fee is worth the peace of mind to know you always have someone you can call when you need the police, fire department, ambulance or even roadside assistance.

In Boquete I subscribe to an emergency service (click on that link) that is $90 a year. Members log in to their website to enter your contact information, directions to your house (many houses do not have an address), list of medications, your doctor’s information, emergency contact both locally and internationally, and even pet sitter information. Once you enter your information, you are assigned a number. If you have an emergency, you just tell the operator your number and what kind of help you need, like “I’m number 1234 and I need an ambulance.”  The emergency service company has instant access to directions to my house so they can give it to the ambulance, police or fire department.  The bi-lingual operator will stay on the line with you until help arrives and they will notify your emergency contacts.

If you are moving to Panama with pre-existing health problems, you should consider living in an area where a private bi-lingual emergency service is available. You should also take in to consideration where the closest 24-hour hospital is located… just in case.

POLICE PULLS YOU OVER

Shortly after I moved to Panama, I got pulled over by the police. I knew I was not speeding so I had no idea why I got pulled over.  My Spanish was not very good when I first moved to Panama so I called the emergency service to talk to the police officer.

This is what happened.  I went to Pricesmart (like Costco) on a holiday, but discovered it was closed so I got back on the PanAmerican Highway to go home.  The police said I made an illegal U-Turn even though I pulled into the Pricesmart parking lot.

The emergency service talked to the police then told me to just take the ticket.  Apparently there was no telling the cop that I did “not” make a U-turn.  $70 ticket!

OTHER SERVICES…

Last weekend, in Boquete, a friend’s husband went for a short walk. He has dementia and Parkinson’s disease. He got disoriented and could not find his home. He had no idea where he lived or how to get there so he just kept walking and walking. Someone saw him and offered to give him a ride and help find his family. Luckily, there is a free email service where they could send out 1 email and it goes to thousands of people in Panama who have subscribed.

They sent out a message that they had my friend’s husband and where looking for his family. They gave a contact number. When I saw the message, I immediately called his wife who had been frantically looking for her husband for more than 2 hours. They were united a few minutes later.

This valuable service can be used when a pet is lost, a family member has not been heard from, and it is also used to notify the community of upcoming events.  This email service is also used to notify the community about storms or rip tides in certain areas.

AUTO ACCIDENT

Last year I had an auto accident in Panama.  If you’re renting a car, you should contact the car rental agency right away.  If you have moved to Panama, contact your insurance agent right away.   Here are more details about what to do if you have an auto accident in Panama.

WHEN THINGS GET BAD….

Some communities in Panama also have hospice and free short-term healthcare help after a surgery, including hospital beds, walkers plus volunteers who bring food, get you to follow up doctor visits, and assist with recovery.

There are very few assisted livign facilities in Panama. But home health care is available in most communities.

In addition, each Embassy has a person assigned to each province to assist people from that country. These volunteers are called Embassy Liasons. If, Heaven forbid, you should get put in jail or get in a car accident, the Embassy Liason for your Embassy will be notified so they can offer assistance to you.

YOUR NEW FAMILY…

When you move to Panama, you will quickly make a lot of new friends (expats and Panamanians) who you can call if you need help too. The friends in your new community are like a new family.  But it’s also comforting to know that there are so many different ways you can get help when needed.

When you come on a Panama Relocation Tour or purchase the online Complete Panama Relocation Guide, you’ll be invited to our private Facebook Community where you can get help to!  The PRT family is always there to offer assistance and advice!

If you are thinking of moving overseas, it is important to investigate what kind of emergency services are available close to you. As you can see, Panama has many different systems in place to help foreigners in emergency situations.