Emergency Numbers in France

Find out who to call and what to say in an emergency in France..,
Service | Telephone |
---|---|
Medical help/SAMU | 15 |
Police - (Police Nationale - Gendarmerie) | 17 |
Fire & accident/Sapeurs Pompiers | 18 |
SOS - all services (recommended when calling from a mobile) | 112 |
SOS - all services (hearing assisted - via SMS and fax only) | 114 |
Emergency Shelter | 115 |
Child in danger (child protection) | 119 |
Missing Child | 116 000 |
Out-of-hours doctors (as of January 2017) | 116 117 |
Emergency: Sea & Lake (calling from land) | 112 or 196 |
Emergency at Sea (calling from sea) | VHF Channel 16 Tel: 112 |
Terror/Kidnapping Hotline | Tel: 197 |
- State the location where assistance is needed
- State their name and telephone number
- State what happened, and if it is still happening
- State how many people need help
- State if there are weapons involved
- Understand which emergency number to use (in French)
European SOS 112
The number 112 can be dialled to reach emergency services - medical, fire and police - from anywhere in Europe. This Pan-European emergency number 112 can be called from any telephone (landline, pay phone or mobile cellular phone). Calls are free. It can be used for any life-threatening situation, including:
- Serious medical problems (accident, unconscious person, severe injuries, chest pain, seizure)
- Any type of fire (house, car)
- Life-threatening situations (crimes)
- Information on the 112 number from the European Commission website
Pharmacies/Chemist/Drug Store
Pharmacies are generally open from Monday to Saturday from 08:30 to 19:30. Many pharmacies close between 12:00 and 14:00, although in shopping centres and large towns, pharmacies will stay open non-stop. At least one local pharmacy will be open on Sundays. Details of and schedule for this "duty pharmacy" (pharmacie de garde) can be found in every pharmacy window, in local newspapers or by contacting the local commissariat.
Find a duty pharmacy (in French): Enter or validate your area postcode when prompted; then choose the time a pharmacy is required when prompted. The details of available pharmacies are given. | Tel: 32 37 Website |
Wasp and Hornet Nests
In the event of a hornet nest or wasp nest in the home or garden, a private company (entreprise de desinsectisation) should be contacted to have it removed. In some rare communes, the fire brigade can come to the home to destroy wasp and hornet nests, although there will probably be a charge. The local town hall will be able to advise if this is the case in the commune of residence.Emergency Words and Terminology
English | French |
---|---|
Accident | Un accident |
I have had an accident | J'ai eu un accident |
Injured | Blessé(e) |
Unconscious | Perdre connaissance |
Bleeding | Hémorragie |
Heart attack | Crise cardiaque |
Stroke | AVC (Un accident vasculaire cérébral) (pronounced "a vaiy caiy") |
Drowning | Noyade (se noyer) |
Burn | Brûlure |
Very sick | Très malade |
In labour/having contractions | Avoir des contractions |
I am in labour | Je suis en train d'accoucher |
Need a doctor | Besoin d'un médecin (Il me faut un médecin) |
Need an ambulance | Besoin d'une ambulance (Il me faut une ambulance) |
Fire | Feu |
The house is on fire | La maison a pris feu |
The car is on fire | La voiture a pris feu |
Burglar/intruder | Cambrioleur/Intrus |
I am being burgled | Je suis en train de me faire cambrioler |
Someone is in the house | Quelqu'un est chez moi (Quelqu'un est entré par effraction chez moi) |
Emergency | Une urgence |
Help me | Aidez moi |
Help! | Au secours |
Understanding the French Emergency Services
- In the event of an emergency dial the appropriate number: medical (SAMU) 15, police 17, fire and accident 18 or the Pan-European number 112
- Explain the situation to the operator (English may be spoken but there is no guarantee). Calls to 112 are received by either SAMU or the fire brigade and then instantly rerouted to the appropriate service or handled on the spot
Medical emergencies and accidents (SAMU)
SAMU: The Emergency Medical Assistance Service (Service d'Aide Médicale d'Urgence) reached by dialling 15 or 112. There is always a qualified doctor on hand to determine the most suitable response to a call and implement it. This may involve giving the caller information or advice, or sending the appropriate emergency vehicle:
- an ambulance for a street accident or home emergency
- a private ambulance
- a mobile resuscitation or intensive care vehicle or medical helicopter
Sapeurs-pompiers (firefighters and first rescue)
The sapeurs-pompiers are the firefighters of France, supervised and trained by the Ministry of the Interior (Ministère de l'Intérieur). Firefighting brigades work closely with SAMU and are trained and equipped to respond to fires, auto accidents and emergency medical situations. They include professional (SPP), health and medical (SSSM) and volunteer (SVP) brigades.
- More information from the Pompiers website
Emergency siren
Nationwide, every first Wednesday of the month at noon (12:00), the emergency sirens which operate nationwide are tested. The sirens can be heard wailing as the are tested in three sequences of 1 minute 41 seconds each, separated by a silence of five seconds. If the situation arises, information about what to do will be provided by the France Inter or France Info radio stations.Understanding the French Police Services
National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale): The military police force operating under management by the French Ministry of Defence (Ministère de la Défense). It is responsible for policing the countryside, rivers and coastal areas, and small towns which fall outside the jurisdiction of the Police Nationale. The force is also authorised to carry out criminal investigations, crowd control and security activities of airports and military locations and attend ceremonial and state occasions.National Police (Police Nationale): The civil law enforcement agency of France, with jurisdiction over cities and large towns. The National Police comes under the management of the Ministry of the Interior (Ministère de l'Intérieur) and is responsible for security operations (patrols, traffic control, identity checks) and conducting criminal enquiries.
Local Municipal Police (Police Municipale): Responsible for local policing in towns and villages, law enforcement, lost property and handling minor traffic or domestic offences.