Getting Ready for an Emergency in France
Prepare an emergency kit, check on a neighbour and get through a night of flooding and power cuts in French.
Météo-France issues colour-coded weather warnings (vigilance jaune, orange, rouge) for storms, floods and heatwaves, and FR-Alert pushes alerts straight to every phone in the affected area. Emergency numbers are 112 (all of Europe), 15 for the SAMU (medical), 17 for the police and 18 for the pompiers, who handle fires, floods and many medical calls. Authorities advise every household to keep a kit for about three days: water, a torch, batteries, a radio, medicines and copies of important papers.
- 1
Il y a une vigilance orange pour demain.
There's an orange weather warning for tomorrow.
- 2
Vous avez reçu le message FR-Alert ?
Did you get the FR-Alert message?
- 3
Il faudrait préparer un kit d'urgence.
We should get an emergency kit ready.
- 4
On a assez d'eau en bouteille ?
Do we have enough bottled water?
- 5
Elle est où, la lampe de poche ?
Where's the torch?
- 6
Pense à charger ton téléphone.
(to your partner) Remember to charge your phone.
- 7
Il nous faut des piles de rechange.
We need spare batteries.
- 8
Mets tes papiers importants dans un sac étanche.
(to your partner) Put your important papers in a waterproof bag.
- 9
Ne prenez pas la voiture pendant les inondations.
Don't take the car during the floods.
- 10
La route est inondée.
The road is flooded.
- 11
Il y a une coupure de courant dans tout le quartier.
There's a power cut in the whole neighbourhood.
- 12
Restez chez vous et suivez les consignes.
Stay at home and follow the instructions.
- 13
Vous avez besoin de quelque chose ?
Do you need anything?
- 14
Appelez le 112 en cas d'urgence.
Call 112 in an emergency.
- 15
Les pompiers sont en route.
The fire brigade is on its way.
- 16
Il faut évacuer le rez-de-chaussée.
We have to evacuate the ground floor.
- 17
Coupez le gaz et l'électricité.
Turn off the gas and electricity.
- 18
On monte à l'étage, par précaution.
Let's go upstairs, to be safe.
- 19
Tout le monde va bien ?
Is everyone OK?
- 20
On a eu peur, mais personne n'a été blessé.
We were scared, but nobody was hurt.