When professional or volunteer firefighters come out of their barracks in their uniforms, it is to help others, put out fires or participate more calmly in the national day which has been dedicated to them for several years.
In the Var, this took place yesterday in the parking lot of the alleys of Azémar. And consisted of a long distribution of medals and promotions by elected officials of all ranks, deputy, senator, mayor, departmental or regional councilor, in the presence of the families of the recipients. But also of a public always benevolent for this body with the unfailing commitment.
At the end of the ceremony, everyone met in the gardens of the sub-prefecture for heartfelt speeches.
A complicated summer
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Comptroller General Éric Grohin was the first to open fire, referring to the upcoming summer season, “with such a month of May and June, it does not bode well.” Furthermore, “The significant tourist occupation will lead to numerous interventions and this in a context of hospital malaise which has a severe impact on our organization”.
On this subject Éric Grohin evoked “tensions related to the closure of emergencies and certain sectors” with serious consequences “for our operational coverage”. And for the Var fire chief, the solution to get out of this impasse “is that health may trust the rescue professionals that we are a little more.”
Dominique Lain, mayor of Luc-en-Provence and chairman of the SDIS 83 board of directors, said “share the sense of dedication of firefighters” who will be put to the test “with a summer that is just beginning and makes your activity already very intense even before the tourist flood. This currently amounts to 450 interventions per day in the Var, or one every 3 minutes, 24 hours a day.
This is why the 1,300 Var firefighters (including 400 volunteers) will be reinforced by 31 professionals trained in the department, “an unprecedented recruitment effort for many years”.
Workforce reinforcement
A high-risk season therefore with a drought conducive to fires and a new problem looming on the horizon, according to the prefect of Var évence Richard, “the rise of the Covid”. This raises fears that “the summer is quite comparable to the one we experienced last year”.
In any case the population will be able to count “on an efficient rescue service”. But also “on the responsiveness of the firefighters who intervene anywhere in the department”.
In return, local authorities “make efforts to improve the quality of life of your barracks whenever necessary”in addition to financial boosts “like fire bounty”.
Yes, all these courageous men and women were honored this Saturday morning.
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