The departmental fire and rescue service has just been the subject of a report by the Regional Audit Office. The working hours of firefighters in Charente and the number of volunteers are the main areas of concern. A solution must be found in the coming weeks.
Like any civil servant, a firefighter is required to work 1,607 hours a year. Various allowances (including ‘President’s days’ – up to five days a year – and seniority days) have been illegal since the switch to the 35-hour working week. The Charente Departmental Fire and Rescue Service was due to rectify this anomaly, but the decision was postponed last May to avoid industrial action during the staff elections. In the coming weeks, a solution is to be found based on compromise, by calculating everyone’s working hours more objectively.
A 40 per cent increase in the number of volunteer firefighters
In its recommendations, the Regional Audit Office also calls for an increase in the number of volunteer firefighters. The reasoning is economic: to reduce the wage bill for professional firefighters, it is necessary to recruit volunteers. Whilst the SDIS 16 has only just managed to increase its number of volunteer firefighters from 900 to 1,000, the Regional Audit Office is proposing a figure of 1,400 volunteers, representing a 40 per cent increase in numbers. “This is an unreasonable target,” comments Jérôme Sourisseau, president of the Departmental Fire and Rescue Service.
Recommendations
- No. 1: Comply with the statutory working hours.
- No. 2: Make use of the management control system in place within the SDIS to identify potential areas for savings. Recommendation
- No. 3: Continue the work already undertaken in the area of forward-looking management of workforce numbers, posts and skills (GPEEC) Recommendation
- No. 4: To refer the matter of the rules governing the holding of concurrent roles as professional and volunteer firefighters to the SDIS Board of Directors for deliberation. Recommendation
- No. 5: Put an end to the permanent authorisation to use service vehicles that are kept at home. Recommendation
- No. 6: Take steps towards the establishment of an inter-departmental public fire and rescue service (EPIDIS). Recommendation
- No. 7: Set yourself a goal