Help & Emergency Contacts

Useful Info
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Emergency numbers:
15 – This connects you to the SAMU (Service d’Aide Medicale Urgente). You will speak to a doctor who will take the details of your problem, ask questions and decide what response is required. This can range from a medical helicopter to just sending the on-call doctor. Other possibilities include sending their own team of emergency doctors or calling out the fire brigade’s specialised response unit.
17 – Connects you to the police or the gendarmerie
18 – Puts you through to the fire brigade. Firemen are also paramedics and are a good quick response choice in the event of heart attacks for example.
112 – This is is the EU’s standard emergency number and is the same throughout the EU.
114 - A number created specifically for the deaf, the hard-of-hearing and anyone having difficulty speaking. You can send an SMS or a fax to this number with the relevant details (who, what, when, where will be essential) and they will contact the service you need to send help. See http://www.urgence114.fr/ for more details.

If you need a doctor after hours, at weekends, bank holidays etc, but it is not an emergency, dial 116 117. This is a new number and should be operational by the end of January 2017. Only call 15 as a last resort or if 116 117 doesn’t work.

There are a several other emergency numbers aimed at specific problems:

115: SAMU social (domestic violence/care for homeless in winter)
116000: Missing children
119: Social services (mistreated children)
191: Aeronautical emergency
196: Maritime emergency/coastguard
197: Terror/kidnapping hotline

Centres anti-poison

If you think someone might have been poisoned – if you think a child may have swallowed bleach, for example – then call your nearest anti-poison centre http://www.centres-antipoison.net/. These centres are staffed 24 hours a day by experts who can advise you about the dangers of poisoning or adverse effects from just about anything from medicines and chemicals to mushrooms and other plants.

The centres are based in:
ANGERS 02 4148 2121
BORDEAUX 05 5696 4080
LILLE 0800 59 59 59
LYON 04 7211 6911
MARSEILLE 04 9175 2525
NANCY 03 8322 5050
PARIS 01 4005 4848
STRASBOURG 03 8837 3737
TOULOUSE 05 6177 7447

UTILITIES

France Telecom and Orange

General help line 1013 (private phone)
1015 (business phone)
English language help line 09 69 36 39 00

EDF

Standard help line 0810 333 776
English language help line 05 6216 4908 This seems to be the main number but there are others depending on where you live. See map here.

GDF

Standard help line 0810 800 801

Health

CPAM (Sécurité Sociale)
English language help line 0811 36 36 46
RSI: 0811 01 30 30

Embassies and consulates

Australia 01 40 59 33 00
Canada 01 44 43 29 00
Ireland 01 44 17 67 00
New Zealand 01 45 01 43 43
South Africa 01 53 59 23 23
UK 01 44 51 31 00
USA 01 43 12 22 22

Speaking clock or dial 3699

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James

Very useful link
As it happens I am having a problem with EDF.

I did not know they had an English help line number which I will use.

But you mention

“Find your region/department on the map, and select appropriate number to ring” but I cannot find the link if indeed there is one.

Given yesterday’s “brain failure” by yours truly, can you point me in the right direction please. I ask as I live in 33 but right on the order of 24 and 47 and not sure which office should be able to help me. The nearest office is Bergerac in 24 but the next nearest is Bordeaux in 33.

Thanks

Peter

PS The new web site is yes somewhat confusing at first but once you get into it, it is fine. The old fogies like me will find it more challenging but it keeps the mind young :laughing:

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Hi @Peter_Scawen

That number was out of date and there is no longer a map region page as far as I can see so I’ve updated it with the new English speaking phone number, give them a call and see if they can help! Best of luck +33 (0)9 69 36 63 83

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PS The new web site is yes somewhat confusing at first but once you get
into it, it is fine. The old fogies like me will find it more
challenging but it keeps the mind young

Glad to hear that!

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Good afternoon James

Just a quick update, I eventually got through to EDF on an English Language Help Line - very helpful.

The number I used was 05 56 17 40 70

which you might care to add to your list though I think that may only be suitable for clients in the 05 phone number area

http://www.guide2midipyrenees.com/information/11079/English--speaking--Electricite--de--France--(EDF)--helpline

Have a look at this link, which whist it says midi-Pyrenees in fact covers all of France and is the source of the number above.

Regards

Peter

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Good news, thanks for the feedback too @Peter_Scawen :slight_smile:

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iPhone 14 users can now connect with emergency services when cellular and Wi-Fi coverage are not available; the service extends to France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK in December 2022

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A great ida, but it only works on iPhone 14.

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True. I have the old iPhone 7 :disappointed: but thought others may be able to take advantage. Hopefully, android manufacturers will also follow suit soon.

And hopefully, no one will be urgently needing!

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Yes, it’s a shame. But that’s progress. We will have to upgrade ! Or just hope for the best.

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