# Safety in the Madonie: emergency numbers, rescue and risks > Safety in the Madonie: 112 and mountain rescue, 1515 for fires, hospitals, warnings to check, typical risks and what to carry on a hike in the Park. - Page: https://www.lemadonie.it/en/travel-info/safety/ - Updated: 2026-10-19 - Other languages: [Italiano](https://www.lemadonie.it/info/sicurezza.md) · [Español](https://www.lemadonie.it/es/info-practica/seguridad.md) · [Français](https://www.lemadonie.it/fr/infos-pratiques/securite.md) · [Deutsch](https://www.lemadonie.it/de/reiseinfos/sicherheit.md) In the Madonie, in an emergency, you call **112**: it is free, and for a mountain accident the operator alerts 118 and the Mountain and Cave Rescue service. For a fire or an environmental hazard the number is **1515**, the Forestry Corps. Before you set off check the mountain forecast and warnings, carry water and a downloaded map, and tell someone where you are going: that is what prevents most rescues. **At a glance** - **Any emergency**: 112. - **Fires and environmental damage**: 1515, Forestry Corps of the Sicilian Region, 24 hours a day. - **Traffic and roads**: 1518 from CCISS and the [roads](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/roads/) page. - **Alert app**: GeoResQ (CNSAS and CAI), free. - **Hospitals**: Petralia Sottana (Madonna dell'Alto) and Cefalù (Fondazione Giglio). - **Trail difficulty**: the CAI scale, explained in our article on [the CAI scale and safety](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/magazine/cai-scale-trail-difficulty/). ## Useful numbers in the Madonie This table lists the numbers to save on your phone before you leave. | Number | When to call | Who answers | |---|---|---| | 112 | any emergency: accident, illness, missing person, fire, crime | Single emergency number, which routes calls to 118, Mountain Rescue, Fire Brigade, Carabinieri, Police | | 1515 | forest fire, smoke, environmental damage | Forestry Corps of the Sicilian Region | | 1518 | traffic, closed roads, road accidents | CCISS Viaggiare Informati | Sources: Regional School Office for Sicily (112), Sicilian Region (1515), CCISS (1518). In western Sicily 112 has been active since 21 May 2019: the control room covers the provinces of Palermo, Trapani and Agrigento. ## How to call for help in the mountains 1. **Call 112** and say at once that you need medical help in mountain or rough terrain. 2. **Give your position**: trail name, last recognisable point, altitude if you know it. Your phone's coordinates are the most useful thing. 3. **Describe what happened**, how many people there are, who is injured and how. 4. **Stay reachable**: do not switch off your phone, do not move unless you must, keep the phone warm in winter. 5. **Make yourself visible**: if you can, stay in an open spot that can be seen from above. The 112 operator passes the call to the 118 control room, which sends the National Alpine and Cave Rescue Corps. In Sicily the CNSAS operates as Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico Siciliano; in the Madonie a team based in Petralia Sottana also responds, as in the rescue of two hikers lost near Monte Cervi in July 2026 (MeteoWeb). **GeoResQ** is the free app from CNSAS and CAI that sends an alert to Mountain Rescue with your position and route. Install it before you leave and try registering at home, not on the trail. ## Hospitals and pharmacies There are two hospitals close to the Park towns: - **Santissima Madonna dell'Alto hospital, Petralia Sottana**, inland. It also houses a community hospital opened by the Palermo health authority (Sicilian Region). - **Fondazione Istituto G. Giglio, Cefalù**, on the coast, in contrada Pietrapollastra. The Giglio has an emergency department (Quotidiano di Ragusa, 2022). In an emergency, though, do not get in the car: call 112, which chooses the vehicle and the hospital. ## Before you set off: what to check - **Mountain weather**: forecasts for the towns and Piano Battaglia are on the [Madonie weather](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/weather/) page. Look at wind, fog and storms, not just temperature. - **Civil Protection warnings**: the Sicilian Region's Civil Protection publishes a daily weather and flood risk notice. With an orange or red alert, the guidelines cited by the Ente Parco for visitors apply: give up the hike. - **Ente Parco notices**: the Park website publishes "danger zone" notices for days of wildlife control with firearms, listing the areas concerned. Do not enter those areas from dawn to dusk. - **In winter**: the Carabinieri Meteomont bulletin for snow and avalanches, and the guide to [snow safety](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/snow/snow-safety/). - **Roads**: closures and landslides on the [roads](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/roads/) page. ## Typical risks in the Madonie The Madonie reach almost 2,000 metres, with Pizzo Carbonara at 1,979. They are not the Alps, but the risks are real. ### Fog and route finding On the karst plateaus, such as the one on Pizzo Carbonara, fog rolls in fast and landmarks vanish. In poor visibility, go back along the track you came on. The [Pizzo Carbonara](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/trails/pizzo-carbonara-from-piano-battaglia/) page describes the route. ### Heat and water In summer, outside the woods, the sun is strong even at altitude. Outside the tourist areas the Park has no water points or refreshments: carry at least two litres per person for a half-day hike and start early. ### Fires According to the Sicilian Region, 98% of fires are caused by people, deliberately or by accident. Lighting fires in the Park is forbidden. If you see smoke, call 1515 without waiting for the fire to grow and move away from the direction of the wind. When the fire risk is high, skip woodland hikes. ### Trees and rocks In September 2026 the Ente Parco asked visitors not to linger at the base of the big monumental trees, because dry or heavy branches can fall even without wind; during weather alerts the woods are off limits. Do not stop below rock faces: material can fall (Ente Parco delle Madonie). ### Animals The Ente Parco estimates between 1,500 and 3,000 wild suids in the protected area, that is wild boar and crosses with feral pigs. If you meet them, keep your distance and let them move away; the same goes for cows, horses and flocks at pasture. ### Cold and wind At altitude the temperature can drop quickly even in spring and autumn. Always carry a warm layer and a windproof jacket. ## What to carry on a hike For an E grade trail, the most common in the Madonie: 1. closed hiking shoes (the Park advises against heels, flip-flops and sandals); 2. water, at least 2 litres per person; 3. layers, a windproof jacket and a warm layer; 4. the route map downloaded to your phone and, if you can, a paper map; 5. a charged phone and a spare battery; 6. a head torch if you might return late; 7. a small first aid kit. Maps and apps for finding your way are in our guide on [maps and apps](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/travel-info/maps-and-apps/). ## Rules that concern safety In the Madonie Park it is forbidden to light fires, enter unmarked caves, walk through burnt woods and climb over fences. The full list and the rules on dogs, camping, gathering and drones are in our guide to the [Madonie Park rules](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/travel-info/park-rules/). ## Real cases to learn from Our article on [the CAI scale and safety in the Madonie](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/magazine/cai-scale-trail-difficulty/) tells of two real rescues on Pizzo Carbonara: an off-trail descent in the dark that ended with a head injury, and a broken ankle near Pizzo Scalonazzo, with the stretcher carried for a kilometre to the road. In both cases the trail was easy; the problems came from the timing and the choices made. For the more demanding trails, such as [Monte Quacella](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/trails/monte-quacella/), graded EE, consider a guide. All the routes, with their CAI grade, are in the [Trails](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/trails/) section. ## Related pages - [Petralia Sottana](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/petralia-sottana/) - [Cefalù](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/cefalu/) - [Polizzi Generosa](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/polizzi-generosa/) - [Isnello](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/isnello/) - [Castelbuono](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/castelbuono/) - [Pizzo Carbonara from Piano Battaglia](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/trails/pizzo-carbonara-from-piano-battaglia/) - [Monte Quacella: trails and routes to the summit](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/trails/monte-quacella/) - [The Rocca di Cefalù and the Temple of Diana](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/trails/the-rocca-di-cefalu-and-the-temple-of-diana/) ## Frequently asked questions ### What number do I call in an emergency in the Madonie? 112, the single emergency number, free from any phone. For an accident on a trail, explain that you need medical help in mountain or rough terrain: the operator passes the call to 118, which sends the Mountain and Cave Rescue service. Give your position as precisely as you can, ideally with your phone's coordinates. ### How do you call Mountain Rescue in Sicily? There is no direct number to dial: you go through 112. The National Alpine and Cave Rescue Corps operates in Sicily as Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico Siciliano; in the Madonie a team based in Petralia Sottana also responds. With the free GeoResQ app from CNSAS and CAI you can send an alert with your position and route. ### How do I report a fire in the Madonie Park? Call 1515, the environmental emergency number run in Sicily by the Forestry Corps of the Sicilian Region. It is free from landlines and mobiles and active 24 hours a day. Wait for the operator after the recorded message, give every detail that helps locate the spot and do not hang up until the report has been taken. ### Are there hospitals near the Madonie? The hospitals closest to the Park towns are the Santissima Madonna dell'Alto hospital in Petralia Sottana, inland, and the Fondazione Istituto Giglio in Cefalù, on the coast. In an emergency, though, call 112: the control room decides the vehicle and the right hospital, including the air ambulance. ### Is there mobile signal on the Madonie trails? Not always: in the mountains, in valleys and in woods the signal can be missing or weak. Download the route map before you leave, keep your phone charged with a spare battery and leave your route and return time with someone. If you have no signal, try moving to higher ground to call 112. ### What are the main mountain risks in the Madonie? Fog on the plateaus, which makes you lose your bearings; heat and lack of water in summer; fire risk; cold and wind at altitude; branches falling from big trees; wild boar and grazing animals; and the days of wildlife control with firearms announced by the Ente Parco. ## Sources - [Ufficio Scolastico Regionale per la Sicilia, progetto formativo NUE 112 (gennaio 2025)](https://ag.usr.sicilia.it/download/1069/11754/11757/progetto-formativo-nue-112-per-le-scuole-agg-al-07_01_2025.pdf) - [Regione Siciliana, Corpo Forestale: il servizio 1515](https://regione.sicilia.it/istituzioni/regione/strutture-regionali/assessorato-territorio-ambiente/comando-corpo-forestale-regione-siciliana/il-servizio-1515) - [Regione Siciliana, ospedale di comunità nel presidio Madonna dell'Alto di Petralia Sottana](https://www.regione.sicilia.it/la-regione-informa/petralia-sottana-primo-ospedale-comunita-schifani-medicina-prossimita-garanzia-territori) - [Quotidiano di Ragusa, il pronto soccorso dell'ospedale Giglio di Cefalù (20 dicembre 2022)](https://www.quotidianodiragusa.it/2022/12/20/sicilia/ospedale-giglio-di-cefalu-sala-del-pronto-soccorso-intitolata-al-vescovo-mazzola) - [Ente Parco delle Madonie, L'ambiente naturale (quote delle cime)](https://www.parcodellemadonie.it/lambiente-naturale/) - [GeoResQ, app del CNSAS e del CAI](https://web.georesq.it/) - [MeteoWeb, due escursionisti recuperati dal Soccorso Alpino sulle alte Madonie (luglio 2026)](https://www.meteoweb.eu/2026/07/si-perdono-sulle-alte-madonie-due-escursionisti-recuperati-dal-soccorso-alpino/1001953377/) - [Ente Parco delle Madonie, Regole della fruizione (PDF)](https://www.parcodellemadonie.it/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/Decalogo-parco-Madonie-Regole-per-la-fruizione.pdf) - [Ente Parco delle Madonie, avviso sugli alberi monumentali (12 settembre 2026)](https://www.parcodellemadonie.it/avviso-importante-per-gli-escursionisti-sicurezza-e-rispetto-degli-alberi-monumentali-nel-parco-delle-madonie/) - [Ente Parco delle Madonie, gestione della fauna selvatica](https://www.parcodellemadonie.it/gestione-fauna-selvatica/) - [Ente Parco delle Madonie, linee guida per allerta meteo arancione e rossa](https://www.parcodellemadonie.it/linee-guida-approvate-dal-segretariato-generale-dellautoritadi-bacino-con-d-s-g-n-174-2020-del-17-08-2020-condizioni-di-rischio-per-fenomeni-di-dissesto-naturali-e-allerta-meteo-arancione-e-rossa/) - [Protezione Civile Regione Siciliana, avvisi di rischio idrogeologico](https://www.protezionecivilesicilia.it/it/news/?pageid=75) - [Meteomont Carabinieri, bollettino neve e valanghe](https://meteomont.carabinieri.it/) - [Regione Siciliana, campagna antincendio e origine umana dei roghi](https://www.regione.sicilia.it/la-regione-informa/roghi-corpo-forestale-ne-registra-3757-15-maggio-rafforzate-azioni-prevenzione-controllo) --- Markdown version of the page https://www.lemadonie.it/en/travel-info/safety/, from Le Madonie (lemadonie.it), an independent guide to the Madonie. Facts with source and date of check.