The Direction générale de la sécurité civile et de la gestion des crises (General directorate for civil defense and crisis management) is a civil defense agency of the French Government. It operates for the Ministry of the Interior and employs some 2,500 civilian and military personnel over 60 sites.^[1] Known as the Protection Civile until 1976,^[2] the Sécurité Civile is split into several branches:^[3]

• The inspection générale de la sécurité civile, which is in charge of auditing the civil defense public policies.
• The Direction des Sapeur-pompiers are the French firefighters.
• The service de la planification et de la gestion des crises is the crisis oversight service. It includes the units involved in bomb disposal, coast guard, mountain rescue, air ambulance and medical evacuation, and aerial firefighting duties.
• The sous-direction des affaires internationales, des ressources et de la stratégie (sub-directorate of international affairs, resources and strategy).

Sécurité Civile aircraft operate for the Rescue operation and civil-military cooperation branch under the Groupement des Moyens Aériens Sécurité Civile (Aerial Group).^[4] 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).^[5]

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.^[13]

In 2004, 440 tonnes (430 long tons; 490 short 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 during the visit of Pope John Paul II to Lourdes.^[13]