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Emergency preparedness in France: official advice at a glance

France's official preparedness advice: SGDSN 72-hour kit, sirens and FR-Alert, free iodine near nuclear sites, no public shelters.

Updated 2026-10-20· 11 official sources

France at a glance

updated 2026-10-20
SuppliesThe SGDSN guide 'Tous responsables' (November 2025) asks every household to prepare an emergency kit to get through the first 72 hours of a major crisis on its own, with 6 litres of bottled water per person.sourcedPublic sheltersFrance has no network of public shelters for the population and publishes no shelter locator.sourcedAlertsFrance alerts people with sirens (the national alert network, tested on the first Wednesday of each month), FR-Alert phone notifications (cell broadcast, nationwide since June 2022, no app or registration needed), and radio, TV and official social-media accounts.sourcedIodineFree stable iodine tablets are handed out in pharmacies to people living or present around nuclear sites: within 10 km of nuclear power plants (2024 campaign, still under way), 10 to 20 km around EDF plants (since 2019), 500 m to 5 km around other civil or military sites, and 5 km around four military ports (2025 campaign).to confirmPrivate shelterFrance has no shelter-specific law, permit, declaration or obligation.sourced
Shelter standardsFrance publishes no technical standard or approval scheme (homologation) for civilian shelters, public or private.not published
Emergency numbersIn France, call 15 (SAMU, medical), 17 (police), 18 (fire brigade) or 112 (European number, free across the EU).sourced
Crisis bookletOn 20 November 2025, the SGDSN published 'Tous responsables', a national guide on preparing for major crises of any origin (natural disasters, accidents, cyber attacks, disinformation, armed conflict).sourced
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Short answer. In France, national preparedness advice comes from the SGDSN guide "Tous responsables", published in November 2025 12. It asks households to be self-sufficient for 72 hours, with 6 litres of bottled water per person 1. Warnings come from sirens and FR-Alert phone notifications 13. There are no public shelters; the instruction is to shelter in a solid building 1.

Information verified on 20 October 2026.

Who is responsible for emergency preparedness in France?

The Secrétariat général de la défense et de la sécurité nationale (SGDSN) publishes the national resilience guide and runs the Vigipirate plan 1. The Ministry of the Interior runs FR-Alert 3. Locally, the prefecture and the town hall (mairie) give instructions, and the prefect orders iodine intake 16.

The guide "Tous responsables. Face aux risques, agissons : bien préparés, bien protégés, tous engagés" was published on 20 November 2025 2. It covers crises of any origin, from natural disasters to armed conflict, in three parts: be prepared, be protected, get involved 2. An easy-to-read (FALC) version exists 2. The Journée nationale de la résilience is held on 13 October each year 2.

What does each France page cover?

Topic What France says Page
Supplies 72 hours of self-sufficiency; 6 L of bottled water per person; check twice a year 1 Emergency supplies
Kit The official SGDSN list, item by item 1 Kit checklist
Alerts Sirens tested the first Wednesday of each month; FR-Alert since June 2022, no app needed 13 Emergency alerts
Iodine Free 65 mg tablets in pharmacies near nuclear sites; take only on the prefect's order 678 Potassium iodide
Public shelters No public shelter network or locator; shelter in a solid building 14 Public shelters
Private shelters No specific law, permit, subsidy or standard; ordinary planning rules apply 91011 Build a shelter
Contacts 15, 17, 18, 112, 114, 196 1 Emergency contacts

Two points are still being confirmed: whether iodine tablets require a prescription outside the distribution zones 8, and how planning thresholds apply to a buried shelter 910. The pages concerned say so.

What should a French household do first?

  1. Build a 72-hour kit with 6 litres of water per person, following the SGDSN list 1.
  2. Learn the siren signal: three cycles of 1 minute 41 seconds; the all-clear is a continuous 30-second tone 1.
  3. Write the emergency numbers on paper 1.
  4. If you live near a nuclear site, check your address on Géorisques and collect free iodine tablets from a participating pharmacy 6.

Our general guides go further: family emergency plan, 72-hour kit, water per person and shelter or evacuate.

Frequently asked questions

Which French agency is in charge of emergency preparedness?

The SGDSN publishes the national guide "Tous responsables"; the prefecture and the mairie give local instructions 1.

Does France have nuclear shelters for the public?

No. France has no public shelter network and publishes no shelter locator. The instruction is to shelter inside a building and wait for instructions 1.

How will I be warned in France?

By sirens and by FR-Alert notifications on your phone, with no app or registration needed, and through radio, TV and official accounts 13.

Sources

  1. Secrétariat général de la défense et de la sécurité nationale (SGDSN) — Tous responsables. Face aux risques, agissons : bien préparés, bien protégés, tous engagés — https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/documents/SGDSN_Guide_Tous%20responsables.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
  2. Ministère de la Transition écologique — Guide « Tous responsables » : comment se préparer aux risques majeurs ? — https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/actualites/guide-tous-responsables-comment-se-preparer-aux-risques-majeurs (accessed 2026-10-20)
  3. FR-Alert, Ministère de l'Intérieur — À propos FR-Alert ; Foire aux questions (https://fr-alert.gouv.fr/foire-aux-questions) — https://fr-alert.gouv.fr/propos (accessed 2026-10-20)
  4. Sénat — Capacités d'abris souterrains destinés à protéger la population en cas de conflit armé nucléaire (question écrite n° 05279, réponse du 25/05/2023) — https://www.senat.fr/questions/base/2023/qSEQ230205279.html (accessed 2026-10-20)
  5. Assemblée nationale — État du parc d'abris de protection physique des populations (question écrite n° 16859) — https://questions.assemblee-nationale.fr/q17/17-16859QE.htm (accessed 2026-10-20)
  6. Sante.fr (Ministère de la Santé) — Campagne de distribution de comprimés d’iode stable autour des installations nucléaires — https://www.sante.fr/campagne-distribution-iode (accessed 2026-10-20)
  7. Ordre national des pharmaciens — Campagne de distribution de comprimés d'iode stable dans les officines situées dans un rayon de 10 à 20 km des centrales nucléaires de production d'électricité d'EDF — https://www.ordre.pharmacien.fr/les-communications/focus-sur/les-actualites/campagne-de-distribution-de-comprimes-d-iode-stable-dans-les-officines-situees-dans-un-rayon-de-10-a-20-km-des-centrales-nucleaires-de-production-d (accessed 2026-10-20)
  8. Base de données publique des médicaments (ANSM / Ministère de la Santé) — IODURE DE POTASSIUM PHARMACIE CENTRALE DES ARMEES 65 mg, comprimé sécable — https://base-donnees-publique.medicaments.gouv.fr/medicament/69564327/extrait (accessed 2026-10-20)
  9. Service-Public.gouv.fr (DILA, Premier ministre) — Permis de construire (PC) — https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F1986 (accessed 2026-10-20)
  10. Service-Public.gouv.fr (DILA, Premier ministre) — Déclaration préalable (DP) — https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F17578 (accessed 2026-10-20)
  11. Assemblée nationale — Proposition de résolution n° 3103 visant à garantir un abri accessible dans chaque commune pour renforcer la protection de la population française — https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/dyn/17/textes/l17b3103_proposition-resolution.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)

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Sources

  1. Secrétariat général de la défense et de la sécurité nationale (SGDSN) · Tous responsables. Face aux risques, agissons : bien préparés, bien protégés, tous engagés checked Mon Oct 19 2026 20:00:00 GMT-0400 (heure avancée de l’Est)
  2. Ministère de la Transition écologique · Guide « Tous responsables » : comment se préparer aux risques majeurs ? checked Mon Oct 19 2026 20:00:00 GMT-0400 (heure avancée de l’Est)
  3. FR-Alert, Ministère de l'Intérieur · À propos FR-Alert ; Foire aux questions (https://fr-alert.gouv.fr/foire-aux-questions) checked Mon Oct 19 2026 20:00:00 GMT-0400 (heure avancée de l’Est)
  4. Sénat · Capacités d'abris souterrains destinés à protéger la population en cas de conflit armé nucléaire (question écrite n° 05279, réponse du 25/05/2023) checked Mon Oct 19 2026 20:00:00 GMT-0400 (heure avancée de l’Est)
  5. Assemblée nationale · État du parc d'abris de protection physique des populations (question écrite n° 16859) checked Mon Oct 19 2026 20:00:00 GMT-0400 (heure avancée de l’Est)
  6. Sante.fr (Ministère de la Santé) · Campagne de distribution de comprimés d’iode stable autour des installations nucléaires checked Mon Oct 19 2026 20:00:00 GMT-0400 (heure avancée de l’Est)
  7. Ordre national des pharmaciens · Campagne de distribution de comprimés d'iode stable dans les officines situées dans un rayon de 10 à 20 km des centrales nucléaires de production d'électricité d'EDF checked Mon Oct 19 2026 20:00:00 GMT-0400 (heure avancée de l’Est)
  8. Base de données publique des médicaments (ANSM / Ministère de la Santé) · IODURE DE POTASSIUM PHARMACIE CENTRALE DES ARMEES 65 mg, comprimé sécable checked Mon Oct 19 2026 20:00:00 GMT-0400 (heure avancée de l’Est)
  9. Service-Public.gouv.fr (DILA, Premier ministre) · Permis de construire (PC) checked Mon Oct 19 2026 20:00:00 GMT-0400 (heure avancée de l’Est)
  10. Service-Public.gouv.fr (DILA, Premier ministre) · Déclaration préalable (DP) checked Mon Oct 19 2026 20:00:00 GMT-0400 (heure avancée de l’Est)
  11. Assemblée nationale · Proposition de résolution n° 3103 visant à garantir un abri accessible dans chaque commune pour renforcer la protection de la population française checked Mon Oct 19 2026 20:00:00 GMT-0400 (heure avancée de l’Est)

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