As is customary, the fire brigade on one side and the SAMU paramedics on the other… On this issue, no agreement has yet been reached, prompting the National Federation of French Firefighters (FNSPF) to raise the matter once again, just a few days before the health bill is due to be debated.
France has thirteen emergency numbers, which causes a certain amount of confusion amongst the French public, and even a lack of awareness. A few months ago, our colleagues at the Point published a ranking of the 15 call reception and coordination centres (CRRA), highlighting several shortcomings. Entitled, "Emergency services rankings: when 15 doesn’t answer", they also pointed out that 81 out of 101 CRRAs were not complying with the recommendations and that, in 2016, out of 29 million calls received, 4.6 million went unanswered. These reliable figures, revealed in the annual statistics on healthcare facilities, are compiled each year by the Ministry of Health.
Roll-out of departmental emergency call centres
For several years now, the fire service, through the FNSPF and various trade unions, has been calling for the adoption of 112 as the sole emergency number. Firefighters also want departmental emergency call centres (CDAUs) to be rolled out nationwide within three years. They believe this would enable "financial savings through the pooling of resources and, above all, for victims, the guarantee of a local public service and a systematic, rapid and effective response, thanks to enhanced inter-agency cooperation between the emergency services – the fire service, SMUR, the police and the gendarmerie".
A report on emergency medical assistance, jointly drafted last October by the General Inspectorate of Social Affairs (IGAS) and the General Inspectorate of the Civil Service (IGA), suggested linking the single emergency number to seven supra-regional platforms. This proposal was subsequently heavily criticised not only by the FNSPF but also by the Association of Emergency Doctors of France (Amuf). "The AMUF reiterates that the most appropriate local level is the department, with the 15 and 18 emergency call centres linked together to ensure an immediate and appropriate response to callers", emphasised the other SAMU doctors’ union.