If you have a carte vitale they can usually be reactivated instantly. Or French instantly, so within a day or two.
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That would be a relief Jane.
Btw since being on SF Iāve followed your advice rigorously about always attending any official meeting with a ādossierā. Full of every document the French entity could want, and then some.
The CPAM lady might have been dreading her meeing with an Anglaise worried about their poor French and lack of documents, but as soon as I walked through the door carrying a folder with each document neatly arranged her face lit up and happier as I proactively handed her each document in order of desirability (S1, CDSā¦ then more documents than she could ever have dreamed of).
I even offered her extra documents (EDF attestation, factures, passportā¦). But like someone whoās had a full meal and canāt manage dessert, she declined the extras offered :-).
The bank was delirious a week ago when I proactively offered them some updated documents 
(revenue, CDS).
As youāve said, Jane, the importance of bringing a dossier cannot be underestimated when attending any official meeting in France.
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We are about to visit our nearest CPAM. Do we need to make an appointment or can we just go and wait which we did about six years ago.
Appointment - phone if youāre not on ameli yet. On the phone they can tell you if you need an appointment or not. Ask what documents to bring.
There are two versions of Tetanus āvaccine, ā the normal one which is given as a baby and as boosters until it is considered you have sufficient, and an āactiveā one given in acute injury that will provide immediate protection. This could explain some of the confusion
I actually have a sturdy paper wallet labelled in big letters ādossierā. It makes me laugh even if the person on the other side of the desk doesnāt get the joke.
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We had exactly the same experience when we got our original cartes de sejour. Our appointment was on January 2nd and Iād spent the whole of the week after Christmas photocopying and sorting our paperwork in the exact order of the original list they sent out. The meeting went like a dream!
Itās lovely isnāt it to out-bureaucracy French bureaucracy - if you see what I mean.
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Weāve are having some informative trips in a medical taxi. In particular we had an English taxi driver who has been here since he was 14. His advice in an emergency is always to ring 15 for Suma. They will then provide the most appropriate service that is available. He said it used to be the pompiers but thatās not the case now. But maybe itās different in other areas of France
??? Really??? Surely they are first responders. Thatās why they were supporting the nursing staff through the early days of Covid vaccinations, in case anyone had a severe allergic reaction.
It might well differ from area to areaā¦
In my areaā¦ if thereās an accident/collapseā¦ it is always 18 for the pompiers!
Pompiers are called out for injuries at our local Football matchesā¦ occasionally needing the helicopter for subsequently transporting the person to a specialist hospital.
Only the other day, someone collapsed at our Mairieā¦
Pompiers were called and there within minutesā¦ medical attention given as necessary when they arrived, then swiftly to local hospital.
Elderly lady collapsed/fell at the SdF during the last elections.
Pompiers calledā¦ etc etcā¦
On the other handā¦ a few years further backā¦ local Brits called SAMU and spent hours trying to persuade SAMU to send someone ā¦ even their own Doctor failed to move SAMUā¦
I have told that story higher up this threadā¦ still gives us all the shudders.
As far as Iām concernedā¦ if our Mairie reckon 18 is correctā¦ that backs up my own thoughts/judgement.
butā¦ other areas might well be differently served.
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I went on a day course PSC1 (PrƩvention et Secours Civiques) with the Pompiers a couple of years ago and they said that it is always best to ring 18 for the Sapeurs-Pompiers. They can re-route your call if necessary. They said that they would be the quickest to attend as they are more local and the SAMU are based at hospitals.
The booklet I was given at the course states:
18 - Sapeurs-Pompiers
- Secours dāurgence aux personnes
- Secours sur accidents, incendies.
15 - Centre dāappel des SAMU
- ProblĆØmes urgents de santĆ©
- Conseil mƩdical
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I have been advised pomiers here in Dordogne too. I was especially worried when Fran went through a phase recently of sliding forward in her wheelchair and a couple of times I only just caught her before she slipped to the floor. I knew that if she was on the floor I wouldnāt be able to lift her even though she is only 30 kgs, without risking breaking her bones or dislocating her shoulder as I once did just raising her from bed. On telling the aide that she said āpompiers every time, do not try to do it yourself aloneā.
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Now how does that work then? Iām now confused. Anaphylactic shock for example - 18 or 15? I thought it was ALWAYS 18 and really am not in a position to determine, if OH collapses in front of me, whether he needs SAMU or pompiers.
I was a First Aider at workā¦ and the training I received all those years ago has come in useful from time to time.
and one way of making the neighbours your very-good friendsā¦ is to āsaveā one of their kidsā¦ 
thankfully I could still remember how to give the ākiss of lifeā and bellow at them to phone 18ā¦ all without turning a hairā¦
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OH is on borrowed time and if/when he collapsesā¦ I dial 18 !
They will decide what resources to sendā¦ and they wonāt waste time.
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I first āfoundā the pompiers some years back when Fran had her first stroke. I phoned SAMU who took all the details and said someone would come. Not sure how long it was but I got worried and asked my neighbour who used to be a pompier before retirement. He said donāt bother Iāll do it and rang them himself, not 18 but the local number. They said we were just about to leave to come there because SAMU rang us 2 minutes ago. I think that said it all. They didnāt plonk her straight in the ambulance but were there some 30 minutes first hooked up to everything imaginable to check beore taking her to Perigueux.
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Very confusing!
Donāt think of the pompiers as firemen and women, but as first responders with paramedic training. Who can also put put fires!
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Correct. 
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David may I suggest a bath lift, I bought one of these for my mother so she could use it on her own if necessary or her carers. Not used in the bath but carried around so mum could wriggle ber bottomon to it and then gently lift to a seated position which was much easy to help her.
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