Coping With a Medical Emergency in France

 Inside a 'private' (ie not pompiers or SAMU, but part of a fleet of private enterprise ambulances working in a public partnership). I was being shown around with a client by the Head of Accident and Emergency at Amboise Hospital.

This post has come about because a couple of energetic and motivated anglophone pompiers* in the south-west have started a new Facebook group called "Emergency Services France help and advice for English speakers". If you are on Facebook, your principle language is English and you spend time in France then I highly recommend you seek this group out and join it. It is full of clear practical advice.

 

A fleet of private ambulances based in a rural village.

The very first thing you need to know is that the medical emergency number in France is 15. It works from any phone (French or otherwise), no extra numbers needed. You can also phone 18, which is the fire brigade, as they also deal with traffic accidents, domestic falls and will come if the specialist medical service is busy or your condition is not life threatening. You could phone 112, which is the European emergency number, but your call will be answered by one of the local emergency numbers, which may cause a short delay. In the Charente, for example, 112 is answered by the pompiers, who would then have to transfer you to the SAMU (specialist accident and emergency medical service, whose phone number is 15). 

 

Pompiers practice swift water rescue in the Loire at Amboise.

None of these numbers will guarantee the person in the emergency services centre who answers your call can speak English. Some of the staff can, some can't and it all depends on who is on at the time. Asking for an English speaker will also inevitably cause a delay, so best to have some well practiced phrases in French to be going on with. Check out the FB group, as from time to time they announce emergency call specific language courses.

 

 Fire brigade vehicles in our backyard, on a training exercise.

The call responder will ask you a series of standard questions such as the address of the location the emergency services need to come to. They will also ask if the patient is conscious or bleeding. It may be agreed that you can bring the patient in yourself, or they may decide to send an ambulance. 

 

 Fire officers engaged in an exercise to rescue a person from a burning building.

The Emergency Services Centre will direct you to a hospital. It may not be the nearest because they may be busy or not have the right facilities. These days, whenever you go to Urgences (Accident and Emergency) you are advised to ring 15 before so they can direct you to the appropriate hospital. This has become increasingly important as staff shortages sometimes result in A&E departments temporarily closing. You will be treated if you just turn up, but it is much better if the hospital knows you are coming. (We have personal experience of this, having turned up with a detached retina to a hospital, only to find Chatellerault did not have any ophthalmologists and we had to go on to Poitiers.)

 

 SAMU medivac helicopter at Poitiers Hospital.

Once you've got off the phone and are waiting for the ambulance to arrive there are things you can do to make the emergency services work smoother. 

 

A private ambulance in the drop off bay at Amboise Hospital.

• If it is dark, turn on all the lights, especially outdoors, so it is obvious which property they need to be attending. If you can, have someone in the street (with a torch if it's dark), waiting to direct the ambulance.
• Make sure there is space around the patient and a clear path to the door. There will be a team of people attending, and a stretcher to manoeuvre.
• Get a medical dossier together which ideally includes the patient's prescriptions, their carte vitale, medical insurance, and medical reports to show past treatments and procedures.
• Pack an overnight bag for the patient which includes their mobile phone and charger, and pyjamas.  A towel and toiletries are also a good idea, plus slippers, clean underwear and socks, a change of clothes and shoes.
  
• Be prepared with your own mobile phone to have a translation app on (DeepL is popular and easy to use), so you can communicate with the medical team.

 

Paramedics attached to a private ambulance company.

The medical team leader with you will report back to the doctor at the emergency services centre. A decision will be made about hospitalisation (whether it's necessary, and which hospital - based on the patient's condition and how busy nearby hospitals are). It may be decided to take the patient to a hospital which is not the closest. You will not be able to travel in the ambulance with the patient (unless they are a child), so make sure you are clear about where they are going. It's a good idea to try to find a friend to drive you to the hospital, and do not attempt to shadow the ambulance. They will be going much faster than you should, and they have flashing lights that you don't.

 

 A private ambulance dropping a patient off at a clinic in Tours.

Many thanks to Chloe Elliston and Yvette Hudson for creating the FB group, allowing me to plagiarise their excellent content, and taking the time to edit my post prior to publication! 

 

 Fire officers attending a burning car on an autoroute in Tours.

*Until recently the term 'pompier' could be succinctly translated as 'fire officer'. Prior to the beginning of 2023 if you volunteered for the Sapeurs Pompiers (fire brigade) you needed to be prepared to undertake all missions. But the ambulance duties are 80% of the fire brigade's interventions, and now you can volunteer just for the ambulance duties. Consequently, 'pompier' could now mean anything from a professional firefighter to a volunteer first aider. After discussion with Chloe, we decided to translate her and Yvette's roles as 'volunteer emergency services officers attached to the fire brigade'.  

 

 Examination room at Accident and Emergency in Amboise Hospital.

All photos from our personal archive.