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The expression “civil protection” means “the protection of civilian populations in times of peace and war”. The term therefore appears in the names of public bodies and associations, including the National Civil Protection Federation. This association, founded more than 60 years ago, can count on thousands of volunteers to reinforce the public services during disasters or large gatherings, carry out humanitarian or social aid and provide training.
History of the Protection Civile
In the 1950s, the notion of “civil protection” was not widespread and the public was little aware of the issue. The first departmental civil protection association (ADPC) was founded in 1958 in Brittany, in what is now the Côtes-d’Armor. Other associations sprang up all over France, and in 1964 General de Gaulle brought them together within a single body: the National Civil Protection Federation (FNPC).
On 14 November 1969, the government recognised the federation as an organisation of public utility.
In 1984, the Protection Civile set up multi-purpose intervention groups, designed to help people affected by natural or industrial disasters on French territory. In 1989, its range of missions grew further with first-aid training (with a target of one million people trained in a few days) and prevention campaigns. That same year, with its 150,000 members, the National Civil Protection Federation became the third-largest assistance federation in the world.
In 1991, several qualifications were created by the first-aid reform, such as the first-aid training certificate (AFPS), the team first-aid training certificate (CFAPSE) and the national first-aid instructor’s certificate. In 2004, the Protection Civile modernised further and developed its missions. Two years later, it became the first association to obtain all four civil-security approvals (see “The missions of the Protection Civile”)
How the Protection Civile is organised
Since 2020 the headquarters of the Protection Civile has been in Seine-Saint-Denis, in Pantin. The federation has opted for an organisation on several levels in order to gain in efficiency and consistency.
Some figures
In 2020, the National Civil Protection Federation had 32,000 volunteers and 2,000 trainers in first aid.
Every year it is in charge of 20,000 first-aid deployments, helping 78,000 people. Members of the Protection Civile put in a total of 18 million hours of volunteering, or more than 2,000 years!
The association owns 1,230 vehicles, including 442 ambulances and 405 light vehicles, but also 80 logistics vehicles, 57 reconnaissance and rescue boats and 115 bicycles.
The FNPC is made up of 400 local branches throughout France and the overseas departments and territories, through 97 departmental associations that follow a precise four-level organisation.
It provides 130,000 training courses every year.
The four levels of the FNPC
This network includes a national level made up of three vice-presidents and committees of volunteer managers. They are responsible for the association’s administration and for coordination with the institutions (Civil Protection, police, etc.) during crises affecting the population.
Relays are then established in ever smaller areas through the sector level and the departmental level. The latter provides the link between a local branch and the town halls or departments. With the exception of a few departments, each has an association affiliated to the FNPC.
Finally, the local level counts 400 local branches, making it possible to cover the whole territory and so intervene quickly and everywhere.
The missions of the Protection Civile
The National Civil Protection Federation has developed its skills in four fields of action. It also holds four civil-security approvals, issued by order of the Ministry of the Interior.
Civil-security approvals
Associations holding one or more of these approvals may be called upon in civil-security operations (disaster, terrorist attack, event, etc.). Of the 15 approved associations in France, only seven, including the Protection Civile, have obtained the following four approvals:
- A – rescue operations: reinforcing the public services in helping people, including water rescue in some departments.
- B – support and assistance for affected populations: assisting and caring for people during accidents, disasters or emergencies.
- C – supervision of volunteers: in liaison with the State services, organising and managing volunteers in the situations described in approval B.
- D – planned first-aid cover: setting up first-aid posts of various sizes depending on the planned event or gathering.
The rescue missions of the Protection Civile
The Protection Civile has many missions and fields of action.
Thanks to its approval D, it can be put in charge of planned first-aid cover (DPS). These first-aid posts are set up at cultural, sporting and festive events… The human and material resources are adapted to the attendance at the event, ranging from two first-aiders for the smallest to more than forty, led by a post commander, for the very largest.
In Île-de-France, the Nord and the Bas-Rhin, the FNPC has joined the public emergency network alongside the SAMU (emergency medical service) and the fire brigade, and responds to emergency calls for people in public places or at home. Some teams have also responded to particular disasters (the RER B bombing in Paris in 1995, the Erika oil spill in 1999, the explosion at the AZF factory in Toulouse in 2001, etc.)
The Protection Civile carries out humanitarian work abroad. For example, it took part in the “Balkans” mission in 1999, when it assisted refugees from the Kosovo war. It was also mobilised in Sri Lanka and Thailand in 2004 to help the population after a tsunami caused by an earthquake in the Indian Ocean.
The federation also provides social aid to the most deprived. Volunteers take part in street patrols to meet homeless people, give them hot meals and exchange a few kind words. In winter, the association organises collections of donations, food and clothing.
The training provided by the Protection Civile
Besides its rescue work throughout the year, the National Civil Protection Federation also provides a great deal of training for the general public, companies and its own volunteers. Every year, 6,000 trainers teach 130,000 people, 80,000 of them on the PSC1.
First-aid training is the most widespread. The PSC1 (level 1 civic prevention and first aid) lasts 7 hours and teaches the basic actions to take in certain everyday situations (feeling faint, wounds, cardiac arrest, burns, etc.). It is aimed at the general public and volunteers. Shorter, the GQS course (life-saving actions) lasts two hours and is given to pupils from primary school onwards to introduce them to these essential actions (protecting oneself, raising the alarm, cardiac massage, recovery position). Finally, lasting one hour, the AMD course (Alert, Massage, Defibrillate) focuses solely on dealing with cardiac arrest through massage or the use of a defibrillator.
For its members, the Protection Civile offers the PSE1 and PSE2 (team first aid, levels 1 and 2). The first level lasts 35 hours and provides a legal framework and new knowledge of first aid (drowning, bone injuries, stretcher-bearing, immobilisation, etc.). The PSE2 lasts 28 hours and takes training in helping people further (worsening illness, psychological distress, etc.), as well as organisation within the team.
The FNPC offers training in water rescue through various qualifications: the national water safety and rescue certificate (BNSSA; for supervising private swimming pools and beaches), the SSA1 and SSA2 (water supervision and rescue, inland waters / coast; prevention, supervision and rescue in natural sites open to the public), and the PAE-SAMN (teaching skills for trainers in water rescue in natural environments; intended for trainers).
Finally, the Protection Civile provides training within companies, whether in first aid (PSC1), workplace safety (SST, EPI), or courses for home helpers and carers (APS-ASD)….
How to join the Protection Civile?
The only condition for becoming a volunteer with the National Civil Protection Federation is to be over 16 years of age. However, in addition to good physical condition, certain qualities are required: team spirit, altruism, resistance to stress, rigour and the ability to adapt.
Members must also be very available to take part in their departmental association’s missions and for continuous training. However, studying or working is not incompatible with volunteering with the Protection Civile, since many events take place at weekends. On average, an ADPC asks volunteers to attend at least three activities a month (first-aid post, assisting with a training course, street patrol, etc.)
First-aid training is not required to join the Protection Civile, but the PSC1 is compulsory for taking part in social and humanitarian missions. With this qualification, volunteers can also take part in planned first-aid cover as trainees or as administrative and technical logisticians. To join a first-aid post as a first-aider or first-aid team member, they must first obtain the PSE1 and PSE2. Later, they can also become a team leader or post commander with further training.
