Safety & Emergency
General Safety
Iceland is one of the safest countries in the world — the crime rate is extremely low, there is no army, and the police do not carry firearms (they are locked in the car). Violent crime against tourists is practically unknown. The only shot ever fired by the Icelandic police in the country's history was in 2013 — a tragic isolated incident.
The dangers in Iceland come from nature:
- Weather: Sudden storms, whiteouts, temperature drops. Always check vedur.is (weather service), especially wind warnings (orange and red alert level = do not drive!)
- Waves: Sneaker waves on the south coast (Reynisfjara!) — deadly! Several fatalities in recent years
- Geothermal: Boiling water in hot springs — never leave marked areas. Burns are the most common injury among tourists
- Glaciers: Never enter without a certified guide (hidden crevasses, ice breakage)
- Rivers: Glacial rivers swell suddenly — never ford recklessly
- Cliffs: Often unsecured, windy, wet rock. Especially Dyrhólaey, Látrabjarg, and Dettifoss
- Volcanoes: Eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula since 2021. Current info on safetravel.is
Important Numbers & Apps
| Service | Number/App |
|---|---|
| Emergency (Police/Fire/Rescue) | 112 |
| 112 Iceland App | Location tracking + emergency button (must install!) |
| Road conditions | 1777 or road.is |
| Weather | vedur.is (Icelandic Weather Service) |
| SafeTravel | safetravel.is (Register travel plans!) |
| ICE-SAR (Rescue Teams) | Voluntary, funded by donations |
| German Embassy (Reykjavík) | +354 530 1100 |
| Austrian Embassy | +354 511 5500 |
ICE-SAR — Heroes in Orange
The ICE-SAR (Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue) are Iceland's voluntary rescue teams — over 4,000 volunteers in 100 rescue teams across the country. They rescue tourists from rivers, glaciers, snowstorms, and cliffs — free of charge and without reproach. The teams are funded by donations. A donation on icesar.is is a nice way to say thank you — especially if you were rescued!
💡 Tipp
Install the "112 Iceland" app before your trip — it tracks your location and automatically sends it to the rescue center in case of an emergency call. Register your travel route on safetravel.is — especially for trips into the highlands or remote areas. If you don't return, rescue teams will know where to search.
