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Calling up volunteer firefighters directly at the workplace: A new label in western Switzerland could set a precedent nationwide.
Fires, traffic accidents, floods. In many cases, Switzerland is dependent on the help of the fire brigade. But the cantons have fewer and fewer staff. In order to give the voluntary fire brigade more recognition, several cantons in western Switzerland have developed the «Employer-Partner» label.
With the exception of Geneva, the label is promoted everywhere in French-speaking Switzerland by fire brigade associations and building insurance companies. In the canton of Neuchâtel, for example, Philip Morris Products SA PMP was the first company to receive the label.
The idea: involve companies
At the PMP factory site near Neuchâtel, David Margot rushes to the fire station. A few steps later he puts on his jacket and helmet in front of the locker. Ready to roll out – that’s what Margot has to be as a volunteer firefighter at Philip Morris. Because there is no permanent company fire brigade.
Legend:
Since he was 19, David Margot has also been involved in the voluntary fire brigade in his home in Val-de-Travers.
SRF/Andreas Stuedli
The label brings with it obligations for PMP. Stéphane Schmid, head of the fire brigade on the factory premises, says that Margot must be able to deploy whenever possible: “We have organized it with his employer so that he can be called out for use.”
Aim: also mobilize forces regionally
Schmid knows how important such missions are. He lives in the village of Les Bois in the Jura mountains of Freiberg, where Federal Councilor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider grew up. If there is a fire in the middle of the day, it is difficult for the fire brigade: “Many work outside of town. Often only a few farmers are present.”
According to Schmid, it would be correspondingly easier to call on members of the voluntary fire brigade who work in the region. So far, however, the fire brigades have not been organized in this way: Normally, only operations are carried out at the place of residence.
Many firefighters quit when they work in another canton.
That should change with the fire brigade label, says Lieutenant Colonel Maxime Franchi, the cantonal fire brigade inspector in Neuchâtel: “People are more and more on the go. We could find a balance if we used that in all places. Because many firefighters stop when they work in another canton.”
Legend:
The fire brigade inspector of the canton of Neuchâtel, Maxime Franchi, is convinced that the companies’ commitment is also appreciated by the population.
SRF/Andreas Stuedli
The «Employer-Partner» label has existed since last autumn. In the canton of Bern alone, 13 fire departments have since signed the charter.
Stabilizing effect confirmed
This offensive for the fire brigade seems to be having an effect. In contrast to the slight decline at the Swiss level, the Neuchâtel fire brigade was able to stabilize its workforce. But the label also means advertising for the company: “Many find it good when companies support the fire brigade. It is similar to an eco-label or the label of a training company.”
The new label was presented to all cantonal fire service associations in mid-April. Several Swiss German cantons have shown interest. Switzerland needs firefighters, Franchi emphasized at the end of the round of firefighters on the PMP factory site: “Keep this spirit, we depend on you.”