The Direction générale de la sécurité civile et de la gestion des crises 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. Known as the Protection Civile until 1976, the Sécurité Civile is split into several branches: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.

Minister of the Interior is a prominent position in the Government of France. The position is equivalent to the interior minister in other countries, like the Home Secretary in the United Kingdom, the Minister of Public Safety in Canada, or the Minister of Home Affairs in Australia.