Emergency contacts and ICE sheet for Vaud
One page with the Swiss and Vaud emergency and urgent numbers, how to prepare your phone so helpers can reach your contacts, and a checklist to print and keep in your wallet. Each number links to the page on this site that explains it in depth.
Key facts
- Life-threatening medical emergency: call 144 (État de Vaud, Urgences).
- Not life-threatening but cannot wait: call the Vaud on-call doctors line (Centrale téléphonique des médecins de garde, CTMG) on 0848 133 133, local rate. A nurse assesses you and directs you to a doctor, a pharmacy or the emergency department (État de Vaud; Unisanté).
- Emergency short numbers routed by the federal telecom office (OFCOM): 112, 117, 118, 142, 143, 144, 147.
- Rega air rescue: 1414 in Switzerland, +41 333 333 333 from abroad (Rega).
- Poisoning: 145, Tox Info Suisse (Tox Info Suisse).
1. The numbers
| Number | Service | When | In depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 144 | Ambulance (urgences sanitaires) | Life-threatening illness or injury | Health and emergencies |
| 117 | Police | Crime in progress, danger, accident | Police report and complaint |
| 118 | Fire brigade (pompiers) | Fire, smoke, gas, chemical incident | Health and emergencies |
| 112 | European emergency number | Works in Switzerland and across Europe | Health and emergencies |
| 1414 | Rega air rescue | Mountains, serious falls, when a helicopter is faster | Hiking and mountain safety |
| 145 | Tox Info Suisse | Poisoning, swallowed chemicals or medicines | Tox Info Suisse website |
| 0848 133 133 | Vaud on-call doctors (CTMG) | Urgent but not life-threatening, including on-call dentist | GP and pharmacy |
| 142 | National victim support line (aide aux victimes) | Violence, including domestic and sexual violence; free, 24/7, since 1 May 2026 | Health and emergencies |
| 143 | La Main Tendue (La Main Tendue) | Confidential listening for adults in a crisis | Mental health at EPFL |
| 147 | Pro Juventute | Help for children and young people | Mental health at EPFL |
- 142 is a support line, not a rescue line. In immediate danger call 117, 144 or 118 (État de Vaud, 142 news).
- On the EPFL campus, use the campus emergency numbers described in Health and emergencies.
- For sirens and official alerts, see Alertswiss and civil protection.
- Rega says there is no "wrong" number: Swiss rescue services pass calls on to each other (Rega).
- After a road accident (when to call 117, the accident report, insurers): see After a car accident in Switzerland.
- If someone dies in Vaud (declaration, repatriation, funerals): see When someone dies in Vaud.
2. ICE contacts and a medical ID on your phone
- ICE means "in case of emergency": a contact saved in your phone that helpers or the hospital can call.
- Rega considers saving an ICE number useful, but says it mostly helps after the rescue, at the hospital, not at the accident site (Rega, emergency numbers FAQ).
- Most phones let you fill in an emergency medical record (medical ID) with allergies, medicines, blood group and emergency contacts, readable from the lock screen. To set it up, follow your phone maker's help: Apple, Medical ID in the Health app or Google, emergency information on Android.
- Turn on the option that shows the medical ID on the locked screen, otherwise helpers cannot see it.
- Pick one contact who lives in Switzerland and one at home, and write their numbers with the country code (+41 for Switzerland).
- Rega app: it sends your position to the Rega operations centre and opens a call. It needs location sharing switched on, a SIM card and at least minimal network coverage (Rega, Rega app).
3. Printable checklist
Print this, fill it in, and keep it in your wallet with your ID.