- The Covid-19 now represents an increasingly important part of the activity of firefighters.
- But the latter deplore, in several departments, a glaring lack of equipment to protect themselves.
- On the front line, they believe that the government lacks recognition for their profession.
Anger is raging in the barracks. “The firefighters are furious. The time is not to argue or go on strike. But after this episode, we will have things to settle with the government, we will not be humiliated continuously. It's been too long that it has lasted, ”rages Rémy Chabbouh, national secretary of the Sud-Sdis union (Departmental Fire and Rescue Services). While France is affected by the Coronavirus, the firefighters, more and more solicited on the front of the fight against the epidemic, "are never mentioned in the speeches" of the President of the Republic or the Prime Minister, he regrets.
Since the start of containment, the activity of firefighters has been profoundly changed. In Haute-Savoie, it decreased by 40%. “Human activities have been drastically reduced. There is almost no more road traffic, there are much less construction sites. As a result, there are fewer traffic or work accidents, ”explains Colonel Pascal Lorteau, who heads the fire and rescue services in this department. Firefighters, everywhere in France, always record some domestic accidents - DIY, gardening - linked to the obligation to stay at home.
Transport of sick people
On the other hand, the transport of sick people takes an increasingly important part of their activity. In Val-d'Oise, 70% of trips made by firefighters now concern "people who have fever, cough, and who are taken to the hospital to be tested," says Jérôme François, secretary general from the Unsa-Sdis. “Our activity is mainly focused on rescuing people, transporting sick people,” confirms Rémy Chabbouh, who is a professional firefighter in the Rhône. We even made interdepartmental transfers: we repatriated to Lyon people hospitalized in the Grand-Est. This is something new, we didn't do it before. "
The emergency services therefore had to adapt their methods of caring for the victims. “During an ordinary rescue, since the virus circulates freely within the population and that the transported person can be contaminated without necessarily presenting symptoms, one makes him systematically wear a surgical mask, just like the rescuer who is at his contact, ”said Colonel Pascal Lorteau. When the case is proven, "we apply maximum protective measures", that is to say the wearing of a cap, overshoes and a gown and the use of hydroalcoholic gel. Firefighters in Haute-Savoie have also recently been trained in "the use of personal protective equipment".
"Inventories that melt visibly"
In Paris, “we have 200,000 FFP2 masks and we use around 35,000 each week. We can last until about the end of the month, "said spokesman for the fire brigade, Lt. Col. Gabriel Plus, in an interview with Thursday 20 minutes . Colonel Pascal Lorteau also informs us that there is also no "concern to have in Haute-Savoie" concerning a possible shortage of protective equipment. But the situation is far from the same in other departments.
“In the past few days, equipment has been arriving in droppers. But you have to be careful because we started on a marathon. And I'm afraid we won't be able to go the distance. For the coming days, it's fine, we still have equipment. But will we be able to last 15 days or three weeks more? I'm not sure, ”says Rémy Chabbouh. The national secretary of the Sud-Sdis union "sounds the alarm" because he has the impression that the firefighters, without protective equipment, are "sent to the pipe-breaker". "The Sdis see their stocks melting visibly", blows Jérôme François.
"Cannon fodder"
Without protective gear, firefighters also fear becoming vectors of the virus and infecting their families. “All the guys who spend their day in ambulances have that in mind when they get home. When you test positive, you no longer look at your children as before, ”continues the secretary general of Unsa-Sdis. He himself fell ill and was confined for two weeks. But the screenings are not systematic, he went discreetly to be tested by a laboratory which confirmed his contamination to him.
If no firefighter has died for the Covid-19, "there are some in intensive care" and others who have been placed in quarantine, notes Rémy Chabbouh, saying that "the firefighters are flesh with cannon ". “We are on the front line and we have no right to recognition. However, if there are people in hospitals, it is because they have been transported. This exasperates us because the firefighters are the eternal forgotten and have no consideration of the highest level of the state. We will ask for accounts because we must not make fun of the world. "
Society
Coronavirus in Paris: "For three days, the number of interventions has stabilized", says the spokesman of the firefighters
Society
Coronavirus: "Within a week, we will be able to perform 1,000 tests daily," says General Patrick Touron
- Society
- Hospital
- Coronavirus
- Covid 19
- Firefighters
- Ministry of the Interior