“In some barracks, this is a call for help” … Why do we lack volunteer firefighters?

They are at the heart of the civil security system, especially in summer when the fires follow one another. Meanwhile, Volunteer firefighters -citizens who exercise this activity in addition to their employment -represent 78 % of the workforce in France. Consequently, In 2023, this represented 200,000 men and women. However, A symbolic. Meanwhile. Nevertheless, positive bar for Eric Brocardi, spokesperson for the National Federation of French firefighters, which is however the subject of increased monitoring. Therefore, Each variation in the workforce is monitored like milk on the fire.

According to the Federation. Similarly. Furthermore, there are still a 50,000 volunteer missing by 2030 to “cushion the shock of climate change and face the explosion of emergency rescue missions to people”. However, Behind “in some barracks, this call new the stake of these additional arms, we find that of availability, in summer or during the day. Furthermore. Similarly, “In the early “in some barracks, this call 2000s, to mobilize a volunteer firefighter, it took between four and six. Meanwhile, Today. Consequently. for a firefighter to be available in the field, it takes a pool of ten to twelve people, “notes Benoît Deplas, head of the Operation Group of the Departmental Fire and Rescue Service (SDIS) of the Ariège.

Especially since all territories are not housed in the same brand. For example, “In some rural barracks. Additionally, For example. this is a call for help,” continues Eric Brocardi, which recalls that out of the 6,000 barracks in France, 80 % are located in villages.

Generation shock – "in some barracks, this call – "in some barracks, this call new

To explain this “vocation crisis”. the spokesperson evokes the consequence of “a society in selfie mode. which looks too “in some barracks, this call new much towards yourself rather than towards others”. “in some barracks. this call But other factors are put forward by the first concerned according to the survey of Pauline Born. doctoral student in education sciences. who questioned for The Conversation Volunteer firefighters who have chosen to arrest in their first years: daily organizational difficulty, sacrifice of family life, lack of financial recognition …

For Commander Benoît Deplas. the firefighters mainly face a form of volunteer that evolves and diversifies, especially among new generations. “When I was young. we were doing football, rugby or we went to the volunteer firefighters,” said the 49 -year -old man. Today, everyone can take a distance, on different fights. There is a notion of different freedom and constraints ”. “The young generations have values of equity, diversity, ecology … We must take them into account: management must adapt, with better listening, more suitable training,” he abounds.

“Omerta”

Some “in some barracks, this call new voices rise to defend another version. “Volunteers are mistreated by the institution”. “in some barracks, this call tackles Bruno Ménard, secretary general of the union of volunteer firefighters launched in 2024. He even denounces an “omerta, exploitation or even submission”. “A large majority of people engage by altruism but by dint of shooting them, they stop. The new generation does not work like the old ones: when it sees what is going on. it also stops, ”he says.

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An ousted firefighter for having alerted to a too small female locker room. another for having denounced a sexual assault before witnesses. volunteer firefighters not remunerated in certain departments, a committed victim of racism and then sidelined for having spoken … In barely a year, the union, which claims 10,000 members, claims to have identified 300 cases of harassment.

Bruno Ménard also believes that the five -year re “in some barracks, this call new -engagement contracts. to be signed every five years in certain SDIS. are used to rule out those “in some barracks, this call who are problematic. “We have trouble recruiting, but what do we do to keep those in place?” “, He deplores.

Convention. Pensions. Communication

The National Federation of Firefighters multiplies communication actions to make the volunteer attractive, by investing social networks like Twitch or by associating brands like Carambar. SDIS also multiply conventions with private companies. “We must continue to promote individual engagement. at the same time enhance the efforts made by companies to release voluntary firefighters when there are needs. ” sums up Eric Brocardi. They make a war effort ”. He also pleads for the immediate signing of the application decree relating to the bonus of the retirement quarters. of volunteer firefighters. A form of consideration and loyalty.

“We have a pool of young people who try to get involved. “in some barracks, this call new our subject is to open the barracks to the widest possible population,” says Eric Brocardi, spokesperson for firefighters. One of the tools “in some barracks, this call implemented for example: differentiated commitment. which offers a shortcut training module, only dedicated to emergency and emergency care for people. Make a tailor-made, in short.