“They’re going to be the first to complain when the fire station closes, but they haven’t come. I find it a pity. » Erika, a resident of Viroflay (Yvelines), at the initiative of a petition to save the town’s fire station, which collected more than 1,700 signatures, and of a gathering Thursday evening for the same reason, is somewhat disgusted. Only around forty of them came to express their attachment to this barracks.
There is talk that it will close permanently in January 2025. This is in any case a hypothesis that the departmental emergency and fire service is working on (Sdis 78). The final decision should be made in the fall.
Decline in activity, including only 4% for life-threatening emergencies, disaffection among professional firefighters for whom this station is not sufficiently attractive, and budgetary difficulties are all reasons that argue for its closure. The two large neighboring centers, those of Versailles and Vélizy could, according to Sdis 78, provide interventions.
Residents fear longer response times
Arguments which do not convince the mobilized residents. They cite the proximity of the A86, the T6 tramway and the railway junction at Viroflay station, but above all the intervention time which “will necessarily be longer”.
“To come from Versailles or Vélizy, it takes 10 minutes, whereas there, they are immediately on site,” explains Céline, a resident and representative of a parents’ association. For a life-threatening emergency, it’s better. »
Julien cites the increase in population. “We have 17,000 inhabitants, but our city is destined to grow,” before evoking a personal anecdote. “My daughter broke her arm at the Porchefontaine equestrian center in Versailles. When the firefighters knew she was conscious, they told us to take her to the emergency room on our own. What if they don’t have time to intervene at Versailles? Will they have it in Viroflay? »
Concerning local services, “everything is in Versailles”
Francis, for his part, refuses to lose “the last local public service. Everything else is at Versailles. It’s a bit worrying for our city.”
More political, Elke, opposition municipal councilor in Viroflay, believes that trade-offs need to be made. “The departmental council will spend 200 million euros on the Achères bridge, a project from another era. He needs to rethink his priorities. »
Erika, attached to the presence of fire fighters in her town, intends to keep her petition online “until the final decision has been taken”, due to the lack of being able to get residents to travel.
