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  1. Who do I call in an emergency in the Exumas?
  2. Emergency contacts on the water: VHF 16, BASRA and the park office
  3. Where is medical care in the Exumas?
  4. What medical care is there on Staniel Cay?
  5. What safety advice does the Ministry of Tourism give visitors?
  6. Before you go

Is Exuma safe? Emergency numbers, clinics and medical care in the Exumas

Is Exuma safe? Emergency numbers (919, 911, med evac), VHF 16 on the water, the Exuma community clinics and what medical care exists at Staniel Cay.

Updated 2026-10-18Sources: 6Exuma Park editors
Short answer

In an emergency in the Bahamas, call 919 or 911; the government's Medical Evacuation line is (242) 322-28811. On the water, channel 16 is monitored 24 hours a day for emergencies in Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park2. The clinic on Staniel Cay offers basic services, and care beyond minor treatment means a flight to Nassau3.

At a glance
Emergency calls
919 or 9111
Medical evacuation
(242) 322-28811
Air ambulance (AAS Life-flight)
(242) 377-1606 or (242) 323-21861
VHF emergencies
Channel 16, monitored 24 hours a day2
Staniel Cay clinic
Care beyond minor treatment: 30-minute flight to Nassau3
Exuma community clinics
9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday, except public holidays4
On this page
  1. Who do I call in an emergency in the Exumas?
  2. Emergency contacts on the water: VHF 16, BASRA and the park office
  3. Where is medical care in the Exumas?
  4. What medical care is there on Staniel Cay?
  5. What safety advice does the Ministry of Tourism give visitors?
  6. Before you go
Staniel Cay airstrip with small aircraft parked behind a fence, a palm tree and people walking on the apron
Staniel Cay airport, where care beyond minor treatment means a flight to Nassau

Safety in the Exumas comes down to two things you can prepare before you leave the dock: which number or VHF channel to use, and where medical care is. This page collects the numbers the Bahamas government lists, the clinics on Exuma and Staniel Cay, and the safety advice the Ministry of Tourism publishes for visitors. For the rest of the trip, see the trip planning hub.

Who do I call in an emergency in the Exumas?

For emergencies, call 919 or 911 and follow the alerts the government issues1. The government’s Get Ready page lists these numbers for immediate help in any life-threatening situation1.

Service Number
Police 911, 919 or (242) 322-44441
Fire Services 9191
National Emergency Medical Services 911 or 9191
Medical Evacuation (MED EVAC) (242) 322-28811
AAS Life-flight (air ambulance) (242) 377-1606 or (242) 323-21861
Rescue Services (BASRA) (242) 325-8864 or (242) 727-48881
Bahamas Hyperbaric Center (242) 362-5765 or (242) 422-24341
Crime Stoppers (242) 328-84771
Princess Margaret Hospital, Nassau: accident and emergency (242) 326-70141
Princess Margaret Hospital, Nassau (242) 322-28611
Doctor’s Hospital ambulance services, Nassau (242) 302-47471

Save the numbers on your phone and write the Medical Evacuation and Life-flight lines on the chart table.

Emergency contacts on the water: VHF 16, BASRA and the park office

Channel 16 is monitored 24 hours a day for emergencies in the park2. Contact the Defence Force on VHF 162. Rescue Services (BASRA) is on (242) 325-8864 or (242) 727-48881. Staniel Cay Yacht Club’s marina is also on VHF channel 166.

Channel 09 is a different call. It reaches the park office: call “Exuma Park” on Channel 092. Use it to report suspicious activity or poaching2. It is not the emergency channel.

The VHF channels guide has the full channel list for the cays, and the Staniel Cay page covers the island’s marina.

Where is medical care in the Exumas?

The Ministry of Health and Wellness lists four community clinics on Exuma4:

Clinic Telephone
Black Point Community Clinic, Black Point (242) 355-30074
Forbes Hill Community Clinic, Forbes Hill (242) 345-41444
George Town Community Clinic, George Town (242) 336-20884
Steventon Community Clinic, Steventon (242) 358-00534

The Ministry’s list gives opening hours of 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday, except public holidays4. For anything serious or outside those hours, use the emergency numbers above. The hospitals and ambulance services on the government list are in Nassau1.

What medical care is there on Staniel Cay?

St Luke’s Clinic is the only community medical facility on Staniel Cay3. It dates from the early 1960s and is one of the oldest Family Island clinics in The Bahamas3. The Tribune reported a $1.5M upgrade of the clinic on 18 December 20253.

At that time the clinic’s nurse, Jadera Rolle, said: “Right now, we only offer basic services. Emergency care is limited”3. Any care beyond minor treatment presently requires patients to be flown 30 minutes to Nassau3. The nurse added that the whole process of getting an emergency flight can be five hours3.

Boating injuries are a major part of what the clinic sees3. Take that as a reason to carry a stocked first-aid kit and to know the medical evacuation numbers before you anchor off the island. If you are flying in rather than sailing, the Staniel Cay flights guide covers the airstrip.

What safety advice does the Ministry of Tourism give visitors?

The Ministry of Tourism says the Royal Bahamas Police Force maintains a robust presence to ensure the safety of visitors and Bahamian residents5. It gives this practical advice5:

  • Accept rides only from licensed operators on land and sea, including taxis and watercraft operators.
  • Do not swim alone, and use caution if you swim in the early morning or after dusk.
  • It is not recommended to work with individuals who approach you on the beach or street.
  • Use sunscreen, take breaks and drink non-alcoholic beverages to avoid heatstroke.

The purchase and use of marijuana is illegal in The Bahamas and enforced with strict penalties5.

Before you go

Check that your travel insurance covers medical evacuation from a remote island before you book. The travel insurance guide for Bahamas boating covers insurance for boating in the Bahamas. Fees, numbers and clinic hours change, so confirm the numbers on the Get Ready page before you sail.

plan

Travel insurance for a Bahamas boat trip: what the CDC, DAN, BoatUS and Markel say

Travel insurance for a Bahamas boat trip: what the CDC, DAN, BoatUS, Markel and The Moorings say about evacuation, towing, named storms and charter waivers.

boating

VHF Channels in the Exumas: Exuma Park, Emergencies and Marina Calls

Which VHF channels to use in the Exumas: Exuma Park on 09, emergencies and the Defence Force on 16, marina calls, and how to reach the park office.

places

Staniel Cay, Exumas: marina, yacht club, airstrip, ball rates and what is nearby

Staniel Cay is an Exuma Cays island south of the park: yacht club and marina, ball rentals, stores, a 3,000 ft airstrip, film history and nearby stops.

Questions people ask

Is Exuma safe for Americans?

The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism says the Royal Bahamas Police Force maintains a robust presence to ensure the safety of visitors and Bahamian residents5. Its advice: accept rides only from licensed operators on land and sea, do not swim alone, and do not work with individuals who approach you on the beach or street5.

What number do I call in an emergency in the Exumas?

The Bahamas government's emergency list gives 919 or 911 for police, fire and national emergency medical services1. On a boat, call on VHF channel 16, which is monitored 24 hours a day for emergencies in the park2. The Defence Force is reached on VHF 162.

Is there a doctor or clinic in the Exumas?

The Ministry of Health and Wellness lists community clinics at Black Point, Forbes Hill, George Town and Steventon on Exuma, open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday to Friday, except public holidays4. St Luke's Clinic on Staniel Cay is the only community medical facility on that island3.

What happens if I need a medical evacuation from the Exumas?

The government lists a Medical Evacuation line, (242) 322-2881, and AAS Life-flight air ambulance at (242) 377-1606 or (242) 323-21861. On Staniel Cay, any care beyond minor treatment means a 30-minute flight to Nassau, and the clinic's nurse says arranging an emergency flight can take five hours3.

Sources (6)
  1. Get Ready Bahamas: Emergency NumbersGOV
    Government of The Bahamas (Get Ready / Department of Disaster Risk Management) · getready.gov.bs · checked 2026-10-18
  2. Exuma Cays Land & Sea ParkBNT
    Bahamas National Trust · bnt.bs · checked 2026-10-18
  3. $250,000 donation helps turn Exuma clinic into modern medical centre (18 Dec 2025)
    The Tribune (Nassau) · tribune242.com · checked 2026-10-18
  4. Family Islands Health Clinics (PDF)GOV
    Ministry of Health and Wellness, The Bahamas · cdn.bahamas.gov.bs · checked 2026-10-18
  5. The Bahamas: Island FAQ (Health, Safety & Security)TOURISM
    Bahamas Ministry of Tourism (bahamas.com) · bahamas.com · checked 2026-10-18
  6. Marina, Staniel Cay Yacht ClubOPERATOR
    Staniel Cay Yacht Club · stanielcay.com · checked 2026-10-18
Photo credits (1)
  • Jumpingmpjopa / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Park fees and rules come from the Bahamas National Trust or the Bahamas government; check them again before you go. How we check facts.