title: French Ministry of Health's response to Paris attacks of 13 November 2015.
abstract: On Friday November 13th at 9:20 pm, three kamikaze bombs went off around the Stade de France a stadium in Saint-Denis just outside Paris, 4 different shootings took place and bombings in Paris and hundreds of people were held hostage in a theater.This multi-site terrorist attack was the first of this magnitude in France. Drawing the lessons of these attacks and those which occurred in other countries from a health perspective is essential to continuously adapt and improve the French response to possible future attacks. Several issues would need to be further explored: Management of uncertainties: When to trigger the plans: after the 1st attack, the 2nd? When do attacks end and when to release mobilized resources? Management of victims: How to ensure that all victims are secured or taken care of? How to provide assistance when attacks are ongoing? Management of teams: Proper follow-up of persons involved in the response: health professionals, police and firemen, emergency call centers but also civil servants within administration that contributed to the response. Communication: Reactivity of all is a key element to secure appropriate resource is mobilized for the response. All actors have to be able to communicate quickly in a secured way.
authors.affiliation: Health Emergencies Crisis Management Centre, French Ministry of Health, 14 Avenue Duquesne, 75007, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Philippe
authors.affiliation: Health Emergencies Crisis Management Centre, French Ministry of Health, 14 Avenue Duquesne, 75007, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Brahic
authors.affiliation: Paris Health Emergency Units (SAMU), 149 rue de Sèvres, 75015, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carli
authors.affiliation: Emergency Services Paris Fire Brigade (BSPP), 3 boulevard de l'Yser, 75017, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Tourtier
authors.affiliation: Emergency Services of "Pitié-Salpêtrière" Hospital, 83 boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Riou
authors.affiliation: General Diretorate for Health, French Ministry of Health, 14 avenue Duquense, 75007, Paris, France. benoit.vallet@sante.gouv.fr.
authors.forename: Benoit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vallet
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005107:Explosions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D010297:Paris; D023481:Terrorism / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*