In a memo published on 18 May, the departmental director of the Seine-et-Marne fire service has asked his staff to be clean-shaven.
Beards are now banned for firefighters in Seine-et-Marne. On 18 May, fire stations received a memo signed by Colonel Eric Faure, director of SDIS 77, the departmental fire and rescue service, ordering them to shave off their beards. According to the daily newspaper The Marne According to the source revealing this information, this is a safety and preventative measure that applies to both professional and volunteer firefighters.
Less efficient equipment
Beard hair would prevent the equipment from functioning effectively, particularly that designed to protect firefighters’ airways during a fire or any other operation involving chemical, radiological, biological or health risks. The Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Crisis Management explains that this protection “can only be guaranteed when the mask is in direct contact with the skin”. The equipment must therefore be worn on shaved skin.
Men with moustaches are exempt from this rule “provided that it does not compromise the seal of the face mask”.
"An invasion of privacy"
The newspaper points out that this sort of decision is not an isolated incident. At the end of 2017, firefighters in the Oise were already forced to shave off their beards, again for safety reasons.
For several months, rumours had been circulating that such a decision would also apply to firefighters in Seine-Marne. Whilst the memo comes as no surprise, it has nevertheless gone down badly with the firefighters. Several firefighters have set up a Facebook page – The League of Disgruntled Bearded Firefighters – to protest against a measure they regard as “an invasion of their privacy”. Despite this, they are keeping their spirits up and plan to set up a pop-up barber’s stall in their barracks.