Why are firefighters striking in France today?

Firefighters in France are striking today, August 13, following a summer marked by major wildfires and intense pressure on emergency services. 

However, despite the timing, Ludovic Goblet, a lieutenant with the Somme departmental fire and rescue service (SDIS) and vice-president of the SPASDIS-CFTC union said the issues are not new. 

“The fires of this summer have allowed us to highlight the demands that we have been making for several years, particularly concerning the lack of material, financial and human resources,” he told The Connexion. 

What are firefighters asking for?

The nine unions behind the strike are calling for increased state funding, more professional firefighters, modernised equipment and better protection for firefighters’ health. 

The most important aspect is funding. Mr Goblet said services are being asked to do more without having the resources required to meet those demands. 

“Today, we have to recognise that the resources are not there and that the departmental fire and rescue services do not have the financial resources to carry out, in a coherent and realistic way, the missions entrusted to us,” he said. 

“What we are asking the ministers for today is state funding that is at a level that reflects the current and future challenges, particularly in light of climate change,” Mr Goblet added.

He added that the pressure on firefighters is not limited to forest fires. 

French firefighters deal with around 4.75 million interventions a year, according to Mr Goblet - equivalent to about 13,000 interventions a day, or one call every seven seconds.

“Every seven seconds, firefighters are called,” he said.

That workload continues while crews are being deployed to major forest fires.

“While all this is happening with the forest fires, the guys have to continue to deal with everyday calls as well,” he said. “They still have to deal with accidents, fires, sick people, cardiac arrests.”

Mr Goblet explained that it’s essential that professional firefighter numbers increase to ensure sufficient cover.

The unions are also demanding better protection for firefighters' health, particularly those exposed to smoke, particles and toxic substances.

“Today, there is not enough monitoring,” Mr Goblet said. “There is a lack of recognition of occupational illnesses caused by exposure to particles and exposure to toxic substances.”

The unions want stronger medical monitoring for both professional and volunteer firefighters, alongside improved personal protective equipment.

For Mr Goblet, these demands come down to ensuring that firefighters have the means to carry out the missions they are being asked to perform.

What about volunteer firefighters?

Volunteer firefighters are an essential part of France's emergency services, and the recent fires have prompted more people to express an interest in joining them.

Mr Goblet said the increase in applications was welcome, but was cautious that this initial enthusiasm that came with the fires would not necessarily translate into a lasting increase in the volunteer workforce.

“We are very pleased that there are many applications,” he said. “But will the people who have applied actually stay in the profession?”

Volunteer firefighters have to combine the role with another job or activity, meaning that availability can be a particular issue during the day.

Will the strike affect you?

Even though firefighters are on strike, emergency services will continue to respond to calls. Mr Goblet said striking firefighters can still be required to report for duty in the case of emergencies.

“When firefighters are on strike, the emergency services continue to respond,” he said. “There is no impact for the population.”

“We firefighters are reasonable,” he added. “We would never take the population hostage or put it at risk.”

This means that people can call emergency services normally in case of an emergency.

For now, a meeting is set to take place this afternoon between firefighters' unions and Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez.