Firefighters in France : POMPIERS.FR

Firefighters in France : POMPIERS.FR

FIREFIGHTERS IN FRANCE

In this section, you will discover who the firefighters are, their missions and their equipments.

Who are the firefighters?

In France, 80% of the firefighters are volunteers and 15% are professional. This organization allows every citizen to be equal toward their access to rescue services.
In each department, firefighters come under the control of a public organism, the fire and rescue service (SDIS: Service Départemental d’Incendie et de Secours). They are linked to the Home Office and their ranks are almost the same as in the army (except there is no general in the firefighters).

Photo credit: Loic Petiteau

197 000 volunteer firefighters

They are men and women, ordinary citizens, who decided to be available enough, in parallel of their professional activities or their studies, to answer the call of their fire station. They follow regular training and they are able to perform different operations. 57% of volunteers are under 35. They receive an allowance as well as a retirement benefit after at least 20 years as a firefighter.

Photo credit: Loic Petiteau

39 200 professional firefighters

They are mainly located in big agglomerations or in fire stations that are very much in demand. Moreover, they provide the structure for the departmental fire and rescue services. Recruitment is done through examination, in each department or nation-wide according to the rank.

Photo credit; Loic Petiteau

11 259 members of the health and medical rescue service (SSSM: Service de Santé et de Secours Médical)

Firefighters have an important health service composed of doctors, pharmacists, nurses and veterinaries. Most of them are volunteers but some are professional.

Photo credit: Loic Petiteau

27 800 youth firefighters (JSP: Jeunes Sapeurs Pompiers)

Youth from 11 to 18 can take part once or twice a week in activities led and supervised by firefighter’s instructors. Youth firefighters learn first aid and fire fighting and they also acquire community involvement and discipline.

Photo credit: Loic Petiteau

28 379 female firefighters

Women represent about 12% of the firefighters.

Organization

In France, fire and rescue services are organized:

• On the local level, in each town: the Mayor is responsible for the security in the town. A fire station can be located in one town and defend more than just one. Fire stations of first intervention can also exist.
• On the departmental level: the departmental fire and rescue service is directed by a firefighter chief officer and is under the authority of both the prefect and the president of the board of directors. It organizes the activity of all the fire stations in the department. The control center receives emergency calls and coordinates the operations.
• On the national level: firefighters are under the control of the Home Office - Direction for Civil Safety (DSC: Direction de la Sécurité Civile). This direction must anticipate natural and technological risks and coordinate rescue services in case of large scale disaster.

Fire and rescue stations

They are mainly in charge of rescue operations. They are created and classified by decision of the prefect.
• Main Rescue Centre (CSP: Centre de Secours Principal): it can simultaneously leave for an incident of fire fighting, two incidents of people rescue and another one.
• Fire station (CS: Centre de Secours): can simultaneously leave for an operation of fire fighting or an operation of people rescue and another operation.
• Fire station of first intervention (CPI: Centre de Première Intervention): can at least leave for one operation. They are run by volunteer firefighters.

Their missions

Photo credit: Loic Petiteau

French firefighters did 4,250,100 operations in 2009, it is a 6% increase compared to 2008. It represents one operation every 8 seconds.

People rescue

People rescue represents 67% of the firefighters’ incidents. It is composed of many different incidents: sick, wounded, intoxicated or drown people. People rescue is the most common activity for the firefighters. Witnesses of accident call the firefighters because they are sure they will be quick and reliable.
Firefighters have many assets: they are specialized in rescue; they are everywhere and at anytime. They have an important organization: an autonomous structure with strong logistics, competencies and ability to adapt to different situations thanks to specialized teams, the support of the health and medical rescue service (SSSM: Service de Santé et de Secours Médical).
Since the mid 90’s, people rescue’s operations skyrocketed. They increased by 180%. This is the consequence of the ageing population as well as the lack of medical facilities, especially in rural areas.

Road accidents

For the last 5 years, the number of fatal car accidents decreased by 40%. However, road accidents are still a plague and an important cause of mortality.
Incidents on road accidents represent 7%. Road accidents are the most important but one must not forget rail, air or sailing accidents.
These operations require different actions from the firefighters such as giving medicalized assistance, but also free the victims from the vehicles, give them first aid, and take them to hospital.

Photo credit: Loic Petiteau

Fires

Fires represent 8% of the firefighters’ incidents. House fires are the most common, followed by vehicle fires, then vegetation fires, fires on public highways, in farming or industrial areas.
Fighting fire is not the main activity but they are the only one capable to do so. That is the reason why this kind of incident remains a priority for firefighters do everything to find new ways of fighting fires such as new techniques and technologies as well as international agreements in order to gather forces from different European countries.

Photo credit: Loic Petiteau

Environment

The notion of environment appeared in the 60’s when the hippy movement, against industrialization and nuclear power arrived in France. Public opinion then realized that life quality and environment are inseparable. This is how started the worry about environment, especially in industrialized countries where the production of toxic waste is important. Fire and rescue services started receiving more and more solicitations for ecocatastrophes. At the beginning, they provide punctual assistance and in July 1987, environment protection became a full mission. Now, it is a daily activity for firefighters.

• Industrial risks and contamination

Many different industrial risks happened in the last few years and it would not be possible to control them without the help of the mobile unit for chemical and radiological intervention (CMIC-CMIR: Cellule Mobile d’Intervention Chimique et Radiologique). It is composed of firefighters trained for this kind of operations

Photo credit: Laurent Lacombe

• Wildfires

These fires can destroy the wildlife, so firefighters try to control them thanks to human and material resources. A common technique is to burn out on a specified and directed zone. They also receive assistance from other firefighters from different departments, as well as water bombers.
In partnership with the National Forests Service (ONF: Office National des Forêts), they organize surveillance patrols in order to give the public information about fire risks and behaviors to avoid.
Most of the fires (98%) are brought under control before they get out of hand.

• Wildlife conservation

Firefighters can save the wildlife during oil slick or other ecocatastrophe.

• Emergency plans

Every day, firefighters have to deal with the management of environmental emergency. Their experience is fundamental because these situations can rapidly become major crises. In these operations, firefighters are in charge of logistics. Their mission is not the mass cleaning but the supervision of volunteers.

Equipment

Photo credit: Laurent Lacombe

Clothing

Basic operation clothing (F1)

• F1 Helmet
This helmet is worn during training, fires, and official manifestations. It has two retractable screens. Many countries have chosen this type of helmet.

• Coveralls
It is made of 2 parts: a pant with reflecting bands and a protection jacket. The jacket can be black or blue, in leather or textile. There are two reflecting bands: a silver one on the back and on the chest and another one with different color depending on the rank, all around the jacket, on the bottom part.

• Belt
• Protection gloves
Protection gloves are in leather, lined with under gloves. They are designed to protect the hands during fires but also during other activities.
• Boots
Boots aim at protecting feet during operations against influences from outside.
• People rescue
During operations of people rescue, firefighters wear a lighter outfit that is more appropriate. For example, instead of the helmet, they wear a flat, red cap without any distinctive insigne.

Photo credit: Laurent Lacombe

Fire clothing

The fire gear is composed of a helmet, a hood, a protection jacket, gloves, over pants and boots. The Insulating Breathing Apparatus (ARI: Appareil Respiratoire Isolant) is also very important. It allows firefighters to operate for half hour without any danger, protecting them from smoke and poison gas. It is both a respiratory and ocular protection.

Urban fire clothing

They are wearing F1 helmet. Recently, new, lighter gear appeared.

Wildfire clothing

They are wearing the F2 helmet, which has a different color depending on the rank. They also wear a heavy knee-length textile or leather jacket. During the fire, they sometimes use a fire beater.

Approach clothing

During fires with an exceptionally intense radiation, the protection jacket is not enough. As a protection against the heath, firefighters use clothing made of aluminum that reduces heat radiation.

Clothing in case of chemical risk

• Liquid tight clothing
It is used to protect against the spatter of dangerous products. This clothing can be worn during oil slick and is single-use.

• Gas tight clothing
There are two different types: nuclear, biological and chemical clothing (NBC) and clothing with a scuba.

Natural risks

• Clothing for incidents in natural environment
Clothing must adapt to water, extreme temperatures, and be adjusted to mountains or underground passages. It must protect from the cold and be waterproof.

• Insect clothing
The most common incident is on honeycombs.

Photo credit: Loic Petiteau

Vehicles

They are adapted to the operation that needs to be done.








Rescue vehicles

• Rescue and assistance to casualties vehicles (VSAV: Véhicule de Secours et d’Assistance aux Victimes): This is the well known one. Its full equipment makes this truck essential. It keeps being improved to increase efficiency and comfort.
Another version exists: the assistance to asphyxiation and injured casualties vehicle (VSAB: Véhicule de Secours aux Asphyxiés et aux Blessés)
• Road assistance vehicle (VSR: Véhicule de Secours Routier): it is a common vehicle used for road accidents.
• Health support vehicle (VSS: Véhicule de Soutien Sanitaire): it is used as a support of an incident.


Fire vehicles

• Water tender (FPT: Fourgon Pompe Tonne): this truck is used to fight fires, especially urban ones.
• Forest fire tanker (CCF: Camion Citerne Feux de forêt): it can contain from 2,000 to 13,000 liters of water. It is used for the extinguishing of wildfires.


Ladder

• Automatic pivoting ladder (EPA: Echelle Pivotante Automatique): it measures 24 or 30 meters long. This truck is implemented for many operations such as fire attacks, people rescue…
Support
• Control unit (VPC: Véhicule Poste de Commandement): It is used for large scale disasters or for huge groupings. It is a mobile control room.


Special vehicles

Some examples:
• Light rescue boat (BLS: Bateau Léger de Sauvetage)
• Reconnaissance and rescue boat (BRS: Bateau de Reconnaissance et de Sauvetage)
• Motorized trailer pump (MPR: Moto Pompe Remorquable)

Specialized teams

For unusual operations, there are specialized teams.

• Mobile Unit for Chemical and Radiological Intervention (CMIC-CMIR: Cellule Mobile d’Intervention Chimique et Radiologique)
Those firefighters intervene for industrial fires, contaminations, chemical accidents or accidents involving radioactive products.

• Hazardous environment reconnaissance and response group (GRIMP: Groupe de Reconnaissance et d’Intervention en Milieux Périlleux)
Some incidents take place in locations uneasy to get to so firefighters need to use specific techniques and know-how. These teams use methods and materials inspired from mountainous environment and speleology. The intervention of this team is especially in natural or artificial environment where usual methods are inappropriate or too risky.

• Subaquatic intervention group
This group is useful for operations of research, assistance and rescue

• Cynotechnical (dog handing) teams
Thesed teams use dogs and are specialized in searching rubble (following earthquakes, collapsed buildings, explosions…) or in searching for missing persons.

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