Sécurité Civile

Operating for the French Ministry of the Interior, the "Direction de la Defense de la Sécurité Civiles" (Department of Civil Defence and Emergency Preparedness) is a French Government civil defence agency, employing some 2500 civilian and military personnel over 60 sites. [ [http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/sections/a_l_interieur/defense_et_securite_civiles/presentation French Interior Ministry - Sécurité civile (in French)] ] Known as the "Protection Civile" until 1976, [http://www.helico-dragon.com/historique/histo02.html Helicopter group history (in French)] ] the "Sécurité Civile" is split into several branches.

The "Sous Direction des Sapeur-pompiers" are the French firefighters.

The "Sous Direction des opérations de Secours et de la coopération civilo-militaire" [http://www.helico-dragon.com/presentation/popup.html Sécurité Civile Organisational Chart (in French)] ] (Rescue operation and civil-military cooperation branch) is involved in bomb disposal, coast guard, mountain rescue, air ambulance and aerial firefighting duties.

Aircraft

Sécurité Civile aircraft operate for the Rescue operation and civil-military cooperation branch under the "Groupement des Moyens Aériens Sécurité Civile" (Aerial Group). Aircraft carry the title SECURITE CIVILE on the fuselage sides, together with the international civil defence symbol. The aircraft are divided into the "Groupement des Helicopteres de la Securite Civile" (Helicopter Group) and the "Groupement des Avions Bombardiers d'Eau" (Water Bomber Group). [http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/france/francaf5.htm Aeroflight - World Airforces: France] ]

Helicopter Group

The Sécurité Civile helicopter group has 22 helicopter bases in mainland France and its overseas territories. It has a fleet of 40 helicopters and employs 230 pilots and flight engineers and 50 ground engineers. Over its 50 years of activity, the helicopter group has an impressive track record, with 480,000 flight hours, 250,000 rescue missions and 225,000 people rescued. [http://www.shephard.co.uk/Rotorhub/ShowReportItem.aspx?ID=e3faf43f-dade-4223-ae82-94c18e1035fe Turbomeca and Securite Civile celebrate 100,000 flight hours of the Arriel 1E2] ] Helicopter group aircraft use the callsign 'DRAGON', followed by the number of the département in which their base is located.

*Aerospatiale Alouette III (6)

Six Aerospatiale Alouette III SA316B are still in operation, based at Alpe d'huez, Chamonix, Nimes and Paris. [http://cohen.frank.free.fr/photos/helicoptere/securitecivile/leparc.htm Securite Civile Helicopters (in French)] ]

*Eurocopter Écureuil (4)

Four Eurocopter Écureuil AS-350 are operated out of Cannes, Nimes and Marseille.

*Eurocopter EC-145 (30)

Sécurité Civile currently operates 30 EC-145 helicopters that were delivered between 2002 and 2005. The fleet has acumulated over 100,000 flight hours. The EC-145 fleet is used for Search and Rescue, Fire fighting, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Surveillance and Law Enforcement. EC-145s are deployed on 22 Sécurité Civile bases in France and the French Overseas Territories. An order has been placed for a further 5 helicopters, to be delivered from Jauary 2009. This will enable the phasing out of the 6 remaining Alouette III helicopters. [ [http://www.eads.net/1024/en/investor/News_and_Events/news_ir/2007/2007/20071213_ec_dga_ec145.html DGA orders 5 Eurocopter EC145 helicopters for Sécurité Civile] ] The EC 145 carries out an average 10,000 rescue missions each year, representing over 13,300 flight hours.

Bases

Helicopter group bases of operation are located at:. [http://www.helico-dragon.com/presentation/index_pres.html Helicopter group organisation (in French)] ]

*Ajaccio (Corsica)
*Annecy
*Bastia (Corsica)
*Besancon
*Bordeaux
*Cannes
*Clermont Ferrand
*Granville
*Grenoble
*Le Havre
*Lille
*Lorient
*Lyon
*Marseille
*Montpellier
*Paris - Issy les Moulineaux
*Pau
*Perpignan
*Pointe-a-Pitre (Guadeloupe)
*Quimper
*La Rochelle
*Strasbourg

The "Echelon Central" (command centre), and helicopter maintenance base is located in Nimes.

Helicopters are detatched to several other bases seasonally. In summer, aircraft are detached to Courchevel, Alpes d'Huez, Gavarnie, Lacanau, and Chamonix. In winter, aircraft are detached to Chamonix and Alpes d'Huez.

Water Bomber Group

*Bombardier CL-415 (12)

12 Bombardier CL-415s are currently operated by the Sécurité Civile, each able to drop 5,800L. [ [http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/misill/sections/a_la_une/toute_l_actualite/securite-civile/canadair-rhodes/view Envoi de deux Canadair sur l'île de Rhodes (French)] ] France was the first nation to commit to the CL-415 'Superscoop' in 1992, so that it could phase out its CL-215s.cite book | last = Keijsper | first = Gerard | title = Airforces Monthly: 'Water-Bombers Required!' | publisher = Key Publishing | date = July 2008 | location = London | pages = pp38-44 | isbn = ]

*Bombardier Dash 8 (2)

Two pre-owned Bombardier Dash 8 Q400s, acquired from Scandinavian Airlines System, were modified by Cascade Aerospace of Abbotsford, British Columbia, for the Sécurité Civile to act as fire-fighting water bombers in fire season and as transport aircraft off season. This aircraft is designated the Q400-MR (Multi Role). The aircraft can be reconfigured into the passenger, cargo or aerial fire control role in under three hours [ [http://www.cascadeaerospace.com/products/Q400%20Air%20Tanker%20Conversion/ Cascade Aerospace - Q400 Airtanker Conversion] ] and can drop 10,000L (24,000lb) in the tanker role. [ [http://www.flightlevel350.com/De_Havilland_Canada_Dash_8_aircraft_facts.html De Havilland Canada Dash 8] ]

*Conair Turbo Firecat (9)

9 Conair Turbo Firecats are in operation. The Turbo Firecat is a turboprop conversion of the Grumman S-2 Tracker, carried out by Conair (now Cascade Aerospace), Canada. The first delivery to the Sécurité Civile was in August 1988. [ [http://www.janes.com/extracts/extract/jau/jau_0609.html Janes - Cascade Aerospace (Conair) Turbo Firecat Conversion] ]

Bases

All fixed-wing aircraft are based at Marignane Airport, Marseille.

Bomb Disposal

307 Sécurité Civile bomb disposal experts are based at 20 bomb disposal units, including 2 overseas units (Guadeloupe and French Guiana). They are responsible for the detection, removal, disposal or destruction of suspicious objects. They also provide assistance during official travel or large demonstrations and de-arm and destroy unexploded ammunition still present from the two world wars. [http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/sections/a_l_interieur/defense_et_securite_civiles/services-operationnels/deminage French Interior Ministry - Bomb Disposal (in French)] ] In 2004, 440 tons of munitions was disposed of, whilst 43 bomb disposal experts were deployed on the 60th anniversary of the Normandy landings, 17 on the 60th anniversary of the landing in Provence and 16 on the Pope's visit to Lourdes.

References

External Links

* [http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/sections/a_l_interieur/defense_et_securite_civiles/view French Intrerior Ministry - Sécurité Civile (in French)]
* [http://www.net-aviation.com/reportages/01/GB_report_p1.htm The French "Securite Civile" Canadair Division]
* [http://www.aviation-francaise.com/AVIONS_Securite_Civile.htm Sécurité Civile Aircraft 1995-2005 (in French)]
* [http://www.helico-dragon.com/ Sécurité Civile Helicopters (in French)]