The present invention is applicable to the field of communications and provides an MBMS technology-based emergency communication method and apparatus. The method includes: receiving information for establishing air interface bearer, where the information is sent by a terrestrial radio access network E-UTRAN/UTRAN, the information indicates that the air interface bearer has a highest scheduling priority and is not stopped and instructs a user equipment to monitor the air interface bearer in real time; establishing the air interface bearer with the E-UTRAN/UTRAN, and monitoring the air interface bearer in real time; and receiving emergency information that is sent by the E-UTRAN/UTRAN from the air interface bearer. Because the user equipment monitors the MBMS communication channel in real time, a second-level delay of MBMS communication is eliminated, so that MBMS technology-based communication meets a delay requirement of emergency communication.