From PFMS to PIMS
For a long time, the reference tool for preparing a household for major risks was called the Plan familial de mise en sûreté (PFMS). Géorisques, the government's official risk portal, now uses the term Plan individuel de mise en sûreté (PIMS). The approach stays the same: a synthetic, simple document accessible to all, to stay ready in the face of floods, storms, earthquakes or industrial accidents.
Whether you've already filled in a PFMS or are starting from scratch, this guide follows the current structure of the PIMS.
The three steps of the PIMS
According to Géorisques, the PIMS is built in three stages.
-
I inform myself
Identify the risks affecting your home: flooding, land movement, wildfire, earthquake, a nearby industrial site. Official sources are the Géorisques website, the DICRIM (municipal document on major risks) available at the town hall, and the DDRM (departmental major-risks file) from the prefecture.
-
I prepare
Build your 72h emergency kit and note the right reflexes specific to each identified risk: for example, in heavy rain, don't go out to pick up your children from school, don't go down into a basement or car park, cut off the gas and electricity if it's safe to do so.
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I act
When the day comes, follow Météo-France weather warnings, population alert signals (like FR-Alert) and the authorities' instructions. The PIMS reminds us that these three stages are prepared before the crisis, not during.
Writing yours in one evening
Gather the household around the table, with the downloaded PIMS document (see below) or a simple sheet of paper. Four pieces of information are enough for a useful first draft:
- Two meeting points: one near your home, another further away if the first becomes unreachable.
- One role per person: who cuts off the water and gas, who picks up the children, who takes the emergency kit.
- Useful contacts: a relative outside the area, your GP, the town hall.
- The link to your kit: where it's stored, what still needs checking.
A filled-in example
For the Bernard family (two adults, two children, a grandparent nearby):
| Section | What they noted |
|---|---|
| Meeting point A | The neighbour's gate, 100 metres away. |
| Meeting point B | At the grandfather's, a 15-minute walk. |
| Roles | The father cuts off the water and gas. The mother picks up the children from school. The eldest son (12) takes the emergency kit. |
| Contact outside the area | An aunt living in another region, to notify first. |
| Identified risk (DICRIM) | Flooding from a watercourse overflow, with a flood marker displayed at the town hall. |
This example fits on half a page. That's intentional: a plan that's too detailed is never re-read.
Mistakes to avoid
- Choosing a meeting point in the risk zone itself. Check it remains accessible in the scenario you're preparing for (a house by a river isn't a good fallback point for a flood).
- Not informing the children. A child who doesn't know the meeting point can't get there alone if needed.
- Confusing the PIMS with the emergency kit. The PIMS is the document that organises the thinking; the kit is one of the elements it asks you to prepare.
- Filling it in once and forgetting it. A move or a birth changes the answers.
Your household's PIMS, in your phone
The official PIMS document is filled in on paper. The LASTLINE app can then help you:
- save your meeting points with the walking route to get there;
- assign a role to each household member, viewable by all;
- print a family pocket card as PDF, for those without their phone on them.
LASTLINE doesn't replace the official PIMS and doesn't know the precise risks of your DICRIM: cross-check both.
Write my plan with LASTLINEFrequently asked questions
What's the difference between PFMS and PIMS?
The Plan familial de mise en sûreté (PFMS) is the former name. Géorisques now uses the term Plan individuel de mise en sûreté (PIMS), which follows the same approach: learn about the risks, prepare, then act when the time comes.
Is the PIMS mandatory?
No, for a private individual, no text makes the PIMS mandatory. It's a voluntary approach recommended by public authorities. It is however systematic for schools, under the form of the PPMS (school safety plan).
Where can I download the official PIMS?
On georisques.gouv.fr, on the page « Le plan individuel de mise en sûreté ». The document also exists in English, Spanish, German, and in versions adapted to several overseas territories.
How often should it be updated?
No official frequency is set. It's recommended to review it after moving house, a birth, a new household member arriving, or once a year as a check.
Sources
- Géorisques, The individual safety plan.
- SGDSN, Guide « Tous responsables: face aux risques, agissons », November 2025.
- Éduscol, Ensuring the safety of schools and establishments (PPMS, the school equivalent of the PIMS).
This guide accompanies the official PIMS document, it does not replace it. Download the official version from Géorisques to fill it in.