Signs that need urgent help
The person is unresponsive, not breathing normally or only gasping.
There is severe breathing difficulty, blue or grey colour, sudden weakness, a seizure that concerns you, severe chest pressure, major trauma or life-threatening bleeding.
A severe allergic reaction, poisoning, heatstroke, drowning incident or sudden deterioration can also require immediate ambulance help.
What to say first
Give the building, community, street, landmark and exact access instructions. Share your callback number.
State the person’s age if known, the main problem, whether they are awake and whether they are breathing normally.
Mention hazards, locked gates, pets, lifts that require access cards and any change in the person’s condition.
Make access easier
Send someone to meet responders when it is safe. Unlock doors, clear the entrance and keep the lift available where possible.
Gather the person’s ID, medication list, allergies and relevant medical information without delaying care.
Do not drive a critically unwell person yourself unless the call handler directs you to do so.
If you are not sure how serious it is
Do not wait for a diagnosis or try to decide whether the person will need hospital admission. Tell the 998 call handler exactly what has changed: what the person was doing, when the problem began and what you can observe now.
A person may still be able to talk during a serious emergency. New severe chest pressure, major breathing trouble, sudden weakness, a severe reaction or an injury with heavy bleeding deserves immediate assessment through 998.
If the person becomes less responsive, develops new breathing difficulty or has another sudden change while you are on the call, say so immediately. Follow the handler’s updated instructions rather than relying on an earlier plan.
Make the location usable for responders
In Dubai, a building name alone may not identify the right entrance. Give the community, street, tower or villa number, floor and apartment, nearby landmark and any gate code or lift restriction that you can safely share.
If somebody else is present, ask them to meet the ambulance at a safe entrance while you remain with the patient. Do not leave an unwell person alone just to guide the team in.
Keep your phone available for a callback. If the call drops, call 998 again and repeat your location and the person’s current condition. Do not substitute this website’s enquiry number for emergency contact.