concerns around regional support for firefighters in Seine-et-Marne

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Since the last finance committee of the regional council, on Friday November 15, numerous press articles have relayed a future elimination of support from the Île-de-France region to his firefighters in the 2025 budget. Voted in 2020 for a period of four years, this non-obligatory financial assistance amounted to 1,5 M€ per year, of which 250 000 € for the firefighters of Seine-et-Marne. If this sum represents only a tiny part of the annual budget of the Sdis 77 (departmental fire and rescue service), which amounts to approximately 145 M€its potential non-renewal for the years to come nevertheless raises concerns among those mainly concerned.

“€250,000 is five fewer firefighters”

“It’s simple, €250,000 is five fewer professional firefighters. A professional firefighter costs around €50,000 per year when adding up salaries, training, etc. This also means one less ambulance paid by the regional council,” states Abdellah Chaouchgeneral secretary of the CGT of Sdis 77.

And if five firefighters, this may seem small compared to the total number of professional firefighters in the department, namely more than 1 600this figure is however far from insignificant.

“Five firefighters, that’s exactly the number of people in a barracks like that of Bois-le-Roi. This would mean that we could no longer rely on volunteer firefighters for such a station,” underlines Abdellah Chaouch.

For his part, Isoline Garreaupresident of Sdis 77, prefers to qualify this possible financial loss: “It would be regrettable to no longer have this support, but I understand that, as for all communities, when resources become scarce, the Region must refocus its priorities on mandatory skills. As the firefighters are not part of it, we are necessarily the first to be impacted,” she confides.

Whistleblower on this subject is the group LFI-A (La France Insoumise) who is the most vehement about this potential deletion.

“At a time when budgetary austerity is having a serious impact on local authorities which finance firefighters […]we regret that Ms. Pécresse drives the point home by cutting off regional support. The recent climatic event of floods in Seine-et-Marne attests to the urgent need for a fire brigade having the full means to carry out its function,” write the members of the political party in a press release.

“We will continue to provide subsidies to firefighters”

But this start of fire could quickly be extinguished. Indeed, contacted by us, Frédéric Péchenardvice-president of the Region in charge of security, wants to be reassuring.

“The president of the Region said that the security shield would be protected. In these conditions, I am hopeful that we will be able to add additional funds to the fire department of our budget this year, contrary to what I initially feared. Which means that we will continue to give subsidies to firefighters in 2025,” he assures.

A “firefighter line” certainly, but probably lower than over the 2020-2024 period: “It is possible that this budget will be slightly lower than previous years for show that we are making an effort », underlines Frédéric Péchenard.

However, according to the vice-president of the Region, the possibility of a subsidy similar to past years cannot be completely excluded before the budget voting session takes place on December 18 and 19 : “There can always be an amendment at the last moment that asks for a little more money for the firefighters. It is therefore not impossible that we will have to give as much to the firefighters as last year,” concludes the elected official.

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