For two weeks, the Christmas market has animated the streets of Strasbourg.
To ensure the safety of the Grande-Île, agents from the Astuce Sécurité company are deployed around and in the hyper-center to control comings and goings and health passes.
Focus on these real soldiers in the cold, essential in the smooth running of events.
In Strasbourg, during the Christmas market, they are both discreet and essential.
Posted at each entrance and at a few strategic points on the Big Island, they check the health passes, scrutinize the comings and goings and filter the passages of vehicles and visitors.
Recognizable by their chasubles, but also by the many layers of clothing they wear.
They are the “Astuciens”, the agents of Astuce Sécurité, one of the companies commissioned by the city of Strasbourg to intervene throughout the duration of the Christmas market.
From the security office located on the Place du Château, Grégory Guthneck takes care of "the distribution of agents, but also day-to-day management with breaks, end-of-service replacements and security itself".
"A marathon rather than a sprint"
A month that you have to "play like a marathon rather than a sprint", estimates the event's safety manager. With his talkie, he gives instructions in real time for the deployment of some 220 agents in the field "over a whole day, including relief teams". The latter work in coordination with the municipal police who, "unlike the service provider, is empowered to issue a ticket," notes the director general of services for the city and the Eurometropolis of Strasbourg, Delphine Joly.
In addition to operational issues, there is the question of the working conditions of agents, while Strasbourg winters are not known to be mild. Grégory Guthneck says he pays particular attention to his troops: “The service still lasts a month, there is a large volume that is required. When we have people who are willing and present, we try to take care of them. "
Besides, who are they, these real soldiers in the cold?
"We have permanent and fixed-term contracts, including students, but all the people hired must be trained to be approved and obtain the professional card to work in security," said Rachid Abbou Tayeb, the CEO of the company.
Special feature this year: “We don't do in-depth checks.
There is just a visual check, and a systematic check of large bags and suitcases.
"
"The mask is our ally"
The teams take turns from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., with a one-hour break. As for the techniques to brave the cold, they are "very simple" according to Grégory Guthneck: "You have to dress warmly, do not hesitate to layer layers, caps and gloves are essential and, in this specific case, the mask is essential. our ally because it warms the face. "The security manager specifies that the management of the troops is done" on a case-by-case basis ":" If necessary, do not hesitate to call a group leader for a relief and a short break in the heat. "
In the field, the agents' feedback is rather positive.
“The people who work for us are briefed beforehand.
And the "Astuciens" are used to the cold, "smiles Rachid Abbou Tayeb.
On condition of anonymity, one of them confides all the same that "it is hard, because it is often very cold".
Another, posted in the hypercentre, prefers to see the glass half full: “It's really nice!
We are paid well for the month, and we have half-price coffee at the stand opposite!
"
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