Hearings with numerous stakeholders from the civil protection and civic engagement sectors, as well as a direct consultation with volunteer firefighters – which yielded nearly 23,700 responses – provided valuable input for the task force’s work.
This 88-page report includes 43 proposals organised around three main areas:
1. TO FACILITATE THE INTEGRATION OF VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS INTO THE OPERATIONAL STRUCTURE AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF OPERATIONS;
A key priority is the need to offer forms of involvement tailored to each individual, always with the aim of inspiring new vocations.
Practical measures: to focus the first few years of service on rescue operations before gradually diversifying the tasks entrusted to the volunteer fire brigade.
2. DRIVE A NEW AMBITION THROUGH CONCRETE MEASURES TO DIVERSIFY RECRUITMENT POOLS;
A more dynamic and inclusive recruitment process, achieved in particular through the development of a strategy targeting priority neighbourhoods under urban policy and the promotion of volunteering throughout the urban policy framework.
Practical measures: Including a firefighter on neighbourhood councils, continuing initiatives to increase the proportion of women – in line with our ambitions – and other measures aimed at better integrating women, retaining them and promoting them to positions of greater responsibility should be encouraged… Fire and rescue services must also be able to play a part in the implementation of the future universal national service (SNU).
3. SIMPLIFY RECRUITMENT, ONBOARDING, TRAINING AND PROCEDURES FOR EMPLOYERS.
The aim of the proposed measures is to bring about a ‘simplification drive’ in the areas of recruitment, induction, training and procedures for employers. The discussions highlighted the need to forge links and work alongside the business community and employers in considering volunteering, in order to find a ‘win-win’ balance that enhances the appeal of volunteering.
These proposals are already attracting particular interest and will lead to concrete measures to support the voluntary fire service. The Minister of State, Minister for the Interior, emphasised that promoting and safeguarding the volunteer fire service – a symbol of national solidarity and our civil protection model – is a priority for the President of the Republic and the government. Gérard Collomb has therefore tasked the Director-General for Civil Protection and Crisis Management, Prefect Jacques Witkowski, with drawing up an action plan to be presented at the national firefighters’ congress, which will take place in Bourg-en-Bresse this coming September.