2024-07-28 21:01:00
They are clearly heroes to everyone, sometimes risking their own lives without hesitation to save our lives and bravely putting out fires.
But beneath the uniform, firefighters are also men. Exposed to insidious dangers that can unleash deadly poisons in the long run.
Excess mortality from disease and occupation
“In our profession, we are seeing an increase in cancer and cardiovascular disease, which is undoubtedly related to our exposure to the toxic substances released by smoke, especially after the collapse of the World Trade Center towers. 649 firefighters Death during and after the intervention” explained Xavier Boy, national president of the independent trade union SPP-PATS, during a visit to Cannes. Research shows that in our profession, mortality is lower early in the career, catches up to average in the middle of the career, and is higher at the end of the career. This is no coincidence.
The situation is shocking. Public authorities still do not take adequate account of “occupational risks”. Neither preventing and avoiding them nor recognizing their impact as occupational diseases.
“Canada admits 22 types of cancer can be attributed to our profession, while France only has two cancers and we are told these smog are not comparable!”
Therefore, two firefighters from the Riviera, Julien Pinson and Julien Antoine, took the initiative to make a shocking film on this subject, which recently Screening at Cannes Cinema.
“In 2019, at Magnum Barracks in Nice, we had three cancer patients treated in the same area. We It is no longer possible to say that something must be done!defending Julian Pinson. Reaching out to the public is also needed to change the mindset of firefighters and political leaders.“
Especially when it comes to prevention, France lags behind other countries, such as Sweden or Romania.
Devices and better medical monitoring
“We already have to change our approach and no longer systematically engage in fireXavier Boy pointed out before pointing out the measures: Even if the fire is extinguished, protective equipment against asbestos and carbon monoxide detectors must be equipped… “And have medical tracking worthy of the name! We only have one mandatory visit a year, but it usually comes down to knowing how to do twenty push-ups. We need real epidemiological surveillance and systematic cancer screening using scanners.”
The issue clearly remains the financial costs of occupational disease prevention, treatment and compensation.
But the lives of our firefighters are obviously priceless and they constantly risk their own lives to help us…
A Riviera senator took up the matter
She is one of the only elected officials to have visited expendables and interacted with independent union firefighters.
Alexandra Borchio-Fontimp believes: “We obviously cannot remain indifferent to such images. Therefore, Senator LR from Antibes decided to take action on this issue, “but as legislators we have an obligation to study it in depth This confirms the impression left by this film.
In a letter to Gérald Darmanin, Alexandra Borchio-Fontimp reminds the Minister of the Interior of the carcinogenic risks of the profession of firefighters sex, which will be recognized by the International Research Center for Diseases in 2022.
It also calls for financial support through the state for SDIS (departmental fire and rescue services) “to carry out scientific research to determine exposure rates and contamination levels… which are important prerequisites for the implementation of protective measures (filter covers, purifiers, etc.)” services ).
In addition, it submitted a written question (dated July 16) to the General Assembly on the subject with the aim of establishing a national traceability table (listing the number of fire exposures for each firefighter) to facilitate, where applicable: recognition of Cancer is an occupational disease.
It’s enough to satisfy Riviera firefighters, especially since “the number of fires in the south of France is much higher”.
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