French firefighters’ unions have failed to secure better equipment and increased staffing from the government despite problems exposed this summer and now plan to stage a mass protest in September 29, Xavier Bois, a representative of an inter-union industry group, has announced.
Speaking at a press conference following the unions’ meeting with French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, he said they are now calling all active firefighters, as well as technical and administrative staff, to take part in the planned demonstration in Paris, Caliber.Az reports, citing French media.
In his words, the firefighters failed to receive “concrete answers” from the minister.
Nunez only promised that a bill to modernise civil security services would be submitted to parliament for consideration in the autumn, but union representatives were unable to learn what changes it would introduce or how funding for firefighters would be affected.
According to Bois, seeking assistance from fire and rescue services has now become like playing Russian roulette, as resources may be insufficient to respond to all calls while the number of fire engines continues to decline. Some fire stations are also staffed almost entirely by volunteers who work on an irregular basis.
He added that emergency services had “lacked everything” while battling the largest wildfires in the country’s history in the Gironde department, while reinforcements had to be brought in from other departments due to a shortage of firefighters.
“At the same time, to take part in firefighting operations, you had to be off duty or not on shift, because our management did not want us to spend working hours working in another town, for another fire service,” he added.
“Unless there are some surprises in the bill, we are heading for intense [protest] mobilisation, undoubtedly the largest in the history of the profession,” he concluded.
By Bakhtiyar Abbasov
