Very complicated situation this morning in the Brussels barracks. At the changing of the guard this morning, only two out of eleven fire engines were available. For the record, a pumper is six firefighters – including a chief and a driver. In terms of operational staff, it is just as tight. The central barracks – Heliport – operated with 27 firefighters out of 52, that of the UCL only had three firefighters out of 10, none (out of 16 in normal times) at the Paul Brian outpost in Schaerbeek, 8 firefighters out of 14 in Anderlecht, 8 out of 18 in Delta, 2 out of 12 in Cité (Congress Column) while the Chênaie outpost in Uccle was completely closed. Only the VUB station was full this morning.
By dint of beating the recall, the situation improved slightly this followingnoon. “For the moment, 21 ambulances out of the usual 31 are circulating, including a dozen from the Red Cross“, Details firefighter spokesman Walter Derieuw. “We have four out of 11 pumpers.“Chênaie remains closed, the territory is covered by the posts of Anderlecht and Delta; Paul Brian had two ambulances but no pumper, Delta had three ambulances and a self-ladder, UCL had one ambulance, etc.
“The situation is catastrophic”
Permanent SLFP Eric Labourdette, judge “The situation is catastrophic”. “On a fire, we send two fire engines. Here, only four are available throughout the regional territory! The Schaerbeek and Uccle sectors are completely empty. We really have to hope that nothing will happen for the next 24 hours, or even this weekend, because the strike will continue.”
Fed up with firefighters, the strike is gaining momentum
Walter Derieuw does not judge the trade unionist. “The situation is exceptional. In fifty years, that had never happened”, he acknowledges. The situation is such that the Brussels Fire and Emergency Medical Aid Service (Siamu) may have to call on the firefighters of Flemish Brabant (east and west) and Walloon Brabant in the event of a major glitch.
”We will have to make strategic choices“, continues the spokesperson. While the regional territory is on alert 1722 (bad weather), it is unlikely that the firefighters will come out to unclog the drains. “We have no intervention for the moment but if the situation does not present a danger for people, I do not see the point of going out. It is better to reserve our means for the most important interventions, where human lives are at stake.”
A recruitment pool opened urgently
On Monday, the SLFP will convene a general staff meeting. The CGSP, which is no longer on strike, will join the GA. Will then be decided, according to the vote of the firefighters, of the continuation of the events. “The federal government doesn’t care that there are no firefighters in the Brussels barracks. We have received no response from Prime Minister Alexander De Croo. Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden does not answer anything. Does it have to be a drama for things to move!”
For the record, firefighters are asking for more staff, more resources and oppose retirement at 67. They were heard in part yesterday. The Minister of the Interior has indeed opened, as a matter of urgency, a new recruitment reserve for the Brussels Siamu before the end of the year.
