Fire services in France

{{Short description|none}} thumb|right|French civilian firemen thumb|right|French fire engine [[File:BSPP section Bastille Day 2008.jpg|thumb|The Paris Fire Brigade at the Bastille Day Military Parade]] [[File:Fire bregade vehicle in Les Sables-dOlonne, pic2.JPG|thumb|French Fire brigade Citroën Berlingo in Les Sables-d'Olonne]] The '''fire service in France''' is organised into local fire services which mostly cover the Departments of France, with a few exceptions. There are two types of fire service: *The Paris Fire Brigade (Army) and Marseille Naval Fire Battalion (Navy) are military units providing fire protection to Paris and Marseille. *The rest of France has civilian fire services organized, supervised and trained by the French Ministry of the Interior; specifically, they fall under the Civil Defence and Security Directorate (''Direction Générale de la Sécurité Civile et de la Gestion de Crise'', DGSCGC).

There are approximately 246,900 fire service personnel in France operating 15,642 emergency vehicles out of 6,894 emergency centres.<ref name=":0" /> In addition to providing fire protection and rescue, the French fire service is also one of the providers of emergency medical services.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pompiersparis.fr/accueil.htm |title=French Fire-based VPS |access-date=2008-09-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080314204730/http://www.pompiersparis.fr/accueil.htm |archive-date=March 14, 2008 }}</ref>

In French, firefighters are known as '''sapeurs-pompiers''' or informally as '''pompiers'''. The former originally refers to the military-based Paris Fire Brigade. ''Pompier'' (pumper) comes from the word for pump (pompe), referring to the manual pumps originally used for firefighting. ''Sapeur'' means sapper and refers to the first official firefighting unit created by Napoleon I, which was part of the military engineering arm. Firefighters in the Marseille Marine Fire Battalion are known as '''marins-pompiers''' (sailor-firefighters). The usual name of a civilian fire services is a '''service départemental d'incendie et de secours''' (SDIS) (Departmental Fire and Rescue Service). Young French citizens can fulfill the mandatory service ''Service national universel (SNU)'' in one of the fire brigades.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/20190616-france-trial-macron-new-compulsory-national-service-teen-military|title=France begins trial of compulsory civic service for teens|date=16 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-48755605|title = France's raw recruits sign up for return of national service|work = BBC News|date = 25 June 2019}}</ref>

==Organization==

===Central administration=== The Directorate General for Civil Defence and Crisis Management (DGSCGC) is the central administrative structure responsible for risk management in France, whether it concerns everyday accidents or major disasters. It includes several directorates:<ref>[https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000043386231 "Arrêté du 6 avril 2021 portant organisation interne de la direction générale de la sécurité civile et de la gestion des crises." ''Légifrance.''] Retrieved 2025-01-17.</ref>

* Fire brigade directorate (DSP); * Sub-directorate for crisis preparation, anticipation and management (SDPAGC); * Sub-directorate for national resources (SDMN); * Sub-directorate for international affairs, resources and strategy (SDAIRS).

The DGSCGC has at its disposal a civil defence headquarters (EMSC) and the general inspectorate for civil defence (IGSC). It employs approximately 3,000 civilian and military personnel spread over 60 sites.

===Local fire services=== The fire service is organized based on various departments. Each department has a ''Service Départemental d'Incendie et de Secours'' (SDIS, Departmental Fire and Rescue Service) responsible for operations within its territory, with a few exceptions: *Paris and the three departments of the ''petite couronne'' (Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis and Val-de-Marne) are covered by the Paris Fire Brigade. *Bouches-du-Rhône is covered by both the Marseille Naval Fire Battalion and a civilian Bouches-du-Rhône SDIS. *Lyon Metropolis and Rhône are both covered by the Rhône SDIS, reflecting Rhône's boundaries before 2015. *Corsica is divided between two fire services, reflecting the departments that existed from 1975 to 2017.

===Fire service based Emergency Medical Services===

[[Image:VSAV2011-Strasbourg FNAC.jpg|thumb|right|Ambulance (officially a VSAV) of the French fire service in Strasbourg, France]] Local fire departments also respond to medical calls and can send an ambulance, a multi-purpose response vehicle or even a fire apparatus.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pompiersparis.fr|title=Paris Fire Department|access-date=2008-09-18}}</ref> Here the cross-trained firefighters will provide care at the scene and transport for injuries or illness but are usually backed up by a SMUR unit for more serious or complex cases. Firefighters are trained to provide basic life support (BLS) care.

Although they also transport casualties and are, in any practical sense, ambulances, their vehicles are instead called a VSAV ({{lang|fr|véhicule de secours et d'assistance aux victimes}} – rescue and casualty assistance vehicle).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pompiersparis.fr/accueil.htm |title=French Fire-based VPS |access-date=2008-09-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080314204730/http://www.pompiersparis.fr/accueil.htm |archive-date=March 14, 2008 }}</ref> Volunteer-staffed ambulances may be called VPS ({{lang|fr|véhicules de premiers secours}} – first aid vehicle). The VSAV and VPS are considered to be means of bringing rescue workers and equipment to the scene, with the evacuation of patients being the logical result of the response but not the primary duty of these response resources.

== Personnel == {|align=right class="wikitable" |+ Personnel strength of the French Fire Services 2015 |- ! align="left" width="100" | '''Category''' ! align="left" width="100" | '''Status''' ! align="left" width="50" | '''Number of fire fighters and paramedics''' |- | Civilian fire services || professionals || 40,354 |- | Civilian fire services || volunteers|| 168,727 |- | Volunteer fire brigades {{efn|name=fn1|Not integrated into the fire services.}}|| volunteers ||13,631 |- |Fire Services EMS ||professionals volunteers ||11,910 |- | Military fire services {{efn|name=fn2|Including the Emergency Preparedness and Response Units from the French Combat engineering corps}}|| military ||11,752 |- | Military fire services EMS || military|| 173 |- |colspan=3|{{Notelist}} |- |colspan=3|Source:<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/content/download/99130/778947/file/statistiques%20SDIS%202016.pdf |title=Les statistiques des services d'incendie et de secours 2016 |language=fr |trans-title=Statistics of the fire and rescue services 2016 |access-date=2017-02-16}}</ref> |} As of December 2015 there were 246,900 firefighters in France:<ref name=":0" /> * 78% voluntary/call firefighters * 22% career firefighters, including: **17% civilian **5% military firefighters (the Paris Fire Brigade and Marseille Naval Fire Battalion) In addition they employed 11,910 medical responders and 10,900 administrative and support personnel. The ''jeunes sapeurs-pompiers'' (Junior fighters) and cadets numbered 27,800.

==Civilian professional fire fighters== Civilian professional fire fighters are local government civil servants of class A, B, and C. Civil servants class A and B, and their volunteer counterparts, are trained at the National Fire College, ''École nationale supérieure des officiers de sapeurs-pompiers.''<ref>[http://www.ensosp.fr/SP/pages-ENSOSP/presentation/missions-de-l-ensosp "Missions de l'ENSOP." ''Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Officiers de Sapeurs-Pompiers.''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215032852/http://www.ensosp.fr/SP/pages-ENSOSP/presentation/missions-de-l-ensosp |date=2017-02-15 }} Retrieved 2017-02-14.</ref> Given their military origin, rank insignia follow those of the French Army.

=== Class C === Professional fire fighters class C are recruited from volunteer fire fighters or youth fire fighters, age 18 or above, with three years service as Sapper without a civil service exam. Corporals can be recruited with a civil service exam open to direct entry candidates who passed middle school, and through a civil service exam open to volunteer fire fighters or youth fire fighters, with three years service. In 2017, Sapeur de 1re classe was abolished and Sapeur de 2e classe was replaced by the rank of Sapeur,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do;jsessionid=2D93CB51413996D239ADADD836FFDF5C.tplgfr26s_3?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000034024859&dateTexte=20170211 |title=Décret n° 2017-164 du 9 février 2017 modifiant le décret n° 2012-520 du 20 avril 2012 portant statut particulier du cadre d'emplois des sapeurs et caporaux de sapeurs-pompiers professionnels |language=fr |trans-title=Decree No. 2017-164 of February 9, 2017 amending Decree No. 2012-520 of April 20, 2012 on the special status of the employment framework of firefighters and corporals of professional firefighters |website=legifrance.gouv.fr |access-date=2018-09-23}}</ref> except for volunteers whose grades remained unchanged.

Promotion to Corporal can occur after three years as Sapper; to Chief Corporal after five years as Corporal.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000025713832&dateTexte=20180923 |title=Décret n° 2012-520 du 20 avril 2012 portant statut particulier du cadre d'emplois des sapeurs et caporaux de sapeurs-pompiers professionnels |language=fr |trans-title=Decree No. 2012-520 of April 20, 2012 on the special status of the employment framework of firefighters and corporals of professional firefighters |website=legifrance.gouv.fr |access-date=2018-09-23}}</ref> Sergents are selected through a civil service exam open to team leaders.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexteArticle.do;jsessionid=12EE4040FAAD90D5C89FB9376654CB8C.tpdila07v_2?idArticle=LEGIARTI000031961847&cidTexte=JORFTEXT000025713896&categorieLien=id&dateTexte= |title=Décret n° 2012-521 du 20 avril 2012 portant statut particulier du cadre d'emplois des sous-officiers de sapeurs-pompiers professionnels, Chapitre II, Article 4. |language=fr |trans-title=Decree No. 2012-521 of April 20, 2012 on the special status of the employment framework of non-commissioned officers of professional firefighters, Chapter II, Article 4. |website=Legifrance |access-date=2017-02-14}}</ref> Promotion to Adjudant and Chief Adjudant can occur after four years as Sergeant/Chief Sergeant.<ref name=":1" />

Since 2013, Chief Adjutant is the highest NCO rank of most departments as the rank of Major has been abolished.

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Grade<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/content/download/101915/803421/file/Arr%C3%AAt%C3%A9%20du%208%20avril%202015%20fixant%20les%20tenues%20uniformes,%20%C3%A9quipements%20et%20attributs%20des%20sapeurs-pompiers%20MODIFIE.pdf |title=Arrêté du 8 avril 2015 modifié fixant les tenues, uniformes, équipements, insignes et attributs des sapeurs-pompiers |language=fr |trans-title=Order of April 8, 2015 amended fixing the outfits, uniforms, equipment, insignia and attributes of firefighters |website=interieur.gouv.fr |access-date=2018-09-23}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000000525014 |title=Décret n°90-850 du 25 septembre 1990 portant dispositions communes à l'ensemble des sapeurs-pompiers professionnels |language=fr |trans-title=Decree No. 90-850 of September 25, 1990 laying down provisions common to all professional firefighters |access-date=2018-09-23}}</ref> ! Insignia ! Basic role |- | {{lang|fr|Sapeur 2e classe}} | 100px | Team Member |- | {{lang|fr|Sapeur de 1re classe}} (Volunteers only) | 100px | Team Member |- | {{lang|fr|Caporal}} | 100px | Team Member Team Leader |- | {{lang|fr|Caporal-chef}} | 100px | Team Leader |- | {{lang|fr|Sergent}} | 100px | Crew Commander one fire appliance with one team |- | {{lang|fr|Sergent-chef}} | 100px | ''Ditto'' three years in the grade |- | {{lang|fr|Adjudant}} | 100px | Senior Crew Commander one fire appliance with two teams |- | {{lang|fr|Adjudant-chef}} | 100px | ''Ditto'' three years in the grade |}

=== Class B === Professional fire fighters class B are recruited through civil service exams open to direct entry candidates with a foundation degree in engineering, and to fire fighters class C with four years service, leading to employment as Lieutenant 1st class; and through a civil service exam open to fire fighters class C qualified as senior crew commanders, leading to employment as Lieutenant 2nd class.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do;jsessionid=12EE4040FAAD90D5C89FB9376654CB8C.tpdila07v_2?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000025713964&dateTexte=20170214 |title=Décret n° 2012-522 du 20 avril 2012 portant statut particulier du cadre d'emplois des lieutenants de sapeurs-pompiers professionnels |language=fr |trans-title=Decree No. 2012-522 of April 20, 2012 on the special status of the employment framework of professional firefighter lieutenants |website=Legifrance |access-date=2017-02-14}}</ref> 75% of the promotions from Lieutenant 2nd class to Lieutenant 1st class are through a civil service exam open to Lieutenants 2nd class with three years in the grade; 25 % through selection from Lieutenants 2nd class with five years in the grade. 75 % of the promotions from Lieutenant 1st class to Lieutenant above class are through a civil service exam open to Lieutenants 1st class with three years in the grade; 25 % through selection from Lieutenants 1st class with five years in the grade.<ref name="Sdis">{{cite web|url=http://www.sdis49.fr/content/download/17516/230181/file/brochure%20réforme%20filière%20print%20internebd.pdf |title=Brochure réforme de la filière SP |language=fr |trans-title=Brochure reform of the SP sector |website=Le SDIS de Maine-et-Loire |access-date=2017-02-14}}</ref> Direct entry lieutenants 1st class are undergoing a 32 weeks course at the French Fire College ({{lang|fr|Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Officiers de Sapeurs-Pompiers}}). Lieutenants 2nd class are undergoing a 12-week course at the Fire College, while Lieutenants 1st class promoted from 2nd class, are in addition undergoing a course of 6 weeks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ensosp.fr/SP/pages-ENSOSP/formations/formations-d-integration-de-lieutenants-de-1deg-classe-filt-1c |title=Formations d'intégration de lieutenants de 1° classe (FILT 1C) |language=fr |trans-title=Integration training for 1st class lieutenants (FILT 1C) |access-date=2017-03-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ensosp.fr/SP/pages-ENSOSP/formations/formations-d-integration-de-lieutenants-de-2deg-classe-filt-2c |title=Formations d'intégration de lieutenants de 2° classe (FILT 2C) |language=fr |trans-title=Integration training for 2nd class lieutenants (FILT 2C) |access-date=2017-03-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ensosp.fr/SP/pages-ENSOSP/formations/formations-d-adaptation-de-lieutenants-de-1deg-classe-falt-1c |title=Formations d'adaptation de lieutenants de 1° classe (FALT 1C) |language=fr |trans-title=Adaptation training for 1st class lieutenants (FALT 1C) |access-date=2017-03-29}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Grade<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> ! Insignia ! Basic roles |- | {{lang|fr|Expert}} | 100px | |- | {{lang|fr|Lieutenant de 2e classe}} | 100px | Incident Commander Bronze/Sector Commander 2-4 crews Station Manager Nine or less professional fire fighters |- | {{lang|fr|Lieutenant de 1re classe}} | 100px | Incident Commander Bronze/Sector Commander 2-4 crews Station Manager Ten or more professional fire fighters |- | {{lang|fr|Lieutenant hors classe}} | 100px | Incident Commander Bronze/Sector Commander 2-4 crews Station Manager Twenty or more professional fire fighters |- |}

=== Class A === Professional fire fighters class A are recruited through civil service exams open to direct entry candidates with a bachelor's degree in engineering, and to fire fighters class B qualified as sector commanders.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000033759014&dateTexte=20180923|title=Décret n° 2016-2008 du 30 décembre 2016 portant statut particulier du cadre d'emplois des capitaines, commandants et lieutenants-colonels de sapeurs-pompiers professionne|website=legifrance|access-date=2018-09-23}}</ref> Commandants are selected through a civil service exam from captains with three years in the grade; lieutenant-colonels from commandants with five years in the grade.<ref name=":4" /> Direct entry captains are undergoing a 42-week course, and internal entry captains a 10-week course, at the National Fire College.<ref>[http://www.ensosp.fr/SP/pages-ENSOSP/formations/formations-d-integration-de-capitaine-de-spp-fic ''Formations d’intégration de capitaine de SPP (FIC)''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170330084323/http://www.ensosp.fr/SP/pages-ENSOSP/formations/formations-d-integration-de-capitaine-de-spp-fic |date=2017-03-30 }} Retrieved 2017-03-28.</ref><ref>[http://www.ensosp.fr/SP/pages-ENSOSP/formations/formations-d-adaptation-de-capitaine-de-spp-fac ''Formations d’adaptation de capitaine de SPP (FAC)''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170330084650/http://www.ensosp.fr/SP/pages-ENSOSP/formations/formations-d-adaptation-de-capitaine-de-spp-fac |date=2017-03-30 }} Retrieved 2017-03-28.</ref>

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Grade<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> ! Insignia ! Basic roles |- | {{lang|fr|Capitaine}} | 100px | Incident Commander Silver/Operations Commander 2-4 sectors Station Manager Thirty or more professional fire fighters |- | {{lang|fr|Commandant}} | 100px | Incident Commander Gold Incident Commander Silver/Operations Commander 2-4 sectors Area Manager Station Manager Fifty or more professional fire fighters |- | {{lang|fr|Lieutenant-colonel}} | 100px | Incident Commander Gold Area Manager Station Manager Hundred or more professional fire fighters |}

=== Class A+ === Professional fire fighters class A+ hold senior management positions, such as brigade manager, deputy brigade manager, or senior expert for the government.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000033758808&dateTexte=20180923|title=Décret n° 2016-2002 du 30 décembre 2016 portant statut particulier du cadre d'emplois de conception et de direction des sapeurs-pompiers professionnels|website=legifrance|access-date=2018-09-23}}</ref>

Colonels are recruited through civil service exams open to fire fighters class A qualified as area managers. They undergo a 32-week course at the National Fire College.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000033836436&dateTexte=20180923|title=Arrêté du 4 janvier 2017 relatif à la formation des colonels de sapeurs-pompiers professionnels|website=legifrance|access-date=2018-09-23}}</ref>

Colonels hors-classe are selected from colonels with four years in the grade; contrôleurs généraux from colonels hors-classe with at least 8 years’ experience as brigade manager, senior manager for the government, or similar positions that are listed by a decree.<ref name=":5" />

The contrôleur général insignia has 2 pyres. However some officers who handle special responsibilities within the government have a 3 pyres insignia.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000033991548&dateTexte=20180923|title=Arrêté du 2 février 2017 pris en application de l'article 12 du décret n° 2016-2002 du 30 décembre 2016 portant statut particulier du cadre d'emplois de conception et de direction des sapeurs-pompiers professionnels|website=legifrance|access-date=2018-09-23}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Grade<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> ! Insignia ! Basic roles |- | {{lang|fr|Colonel}} | 100px | Brigade Manager Deputy Brigade Manager Incident Commander Gold Area Manager |- | {{lang|fr|Colonel hors-classe}} | 100px | Brigade Manager Deputy Brigade Manager Incident Commander Gold Area Manager |- | {{lang|fr|Contrôleur général}} | 100x100px | Brigade Manager Deputy Brigade Manager Incident Commander Gold Area Manager |- | {{lang|fr|Contrôleur général investi de responsabilités particulières}} | 100x100px |Head of the General Inspectorate of Civil Defence Deputy Director in Central Administration Assistant to the Head of the General Inspectorate of Civil Defence Assistant to a Deputy Director in Central Administration Chief of Staff of Civil Defence Interministerial Chief of Staff of the Defense and Security Zone in Metropolitan France Advisor for Senior Civil Defence Management Positions Inspector General on Extraordinary Duty at the General Inspectorate of Administration Director of the National Fire College.<ref>[https://www.lagazettedescommunes.com/819650/securite-civile-les-conditions-a-remplir-par-les-controleurs-generaux-pour-acceder-a-lechelon-exceptionnel/ "Sécurité civile : les conditions à remplir par les contrôleurs généraux pour accéder à l’échelon exceptionnel." ''La Gazette des Communes.''] Retrieved 2025-01-17.</ref> |}

===Central administration=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Grade ! Insignia ! Basic role |- | {{lang|fr|Sous-directeur}} | | Head of a sub-directorate |- | {{lang|fr|Chef de service}} | 100px | Deputy head of the DGSCGC and head of the Fire brigade directorate |- | {{lang|fr|Directeur général}} | 100x100px | Head of the DGSCGC |}

== Responses == In 2015, the French fire services responded to 4,453,300 incidents, most of which were medical:<ref name=":0" />

*Fires 300,700 *Road traffic accidents 279,400 *Medical emergencies 3,413,300 *Technological emergencies 53,200 *Other 406,700

Paris and Marseille comprise 10% of the national total.

==See also== {{Commons category|Firefighting in France}} *Emergency medical services in France

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{in lang|fr}} [http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/sections/a_l_interieur/defense_et_securite_civiles/sapeurs-pompiers/view Official website (French Ministry of the Interior)] * {{in lang|fr}} [http://www.frenchfirefighters.com/ National federation of French firefighters]

Category:Firefighting in France Category:Society of France Category:Fire departments of France Category:Emergency management in France Category:Emergency medical services in France

Fire services in France

Connections

Linked from

Links to (28 total)