The departmental Sainte-Barbe took place on Saturday January 18, 2025 in Mende, on the Place du Foirail.
The Lozère firefighters gathered for the departmental Sainte-Barbe, Saturday January 18, 2025 on the Place du Foirail, in Mende. A first participation in these ranks and functions for the director of Sdis, Colonel Frédéric Lhomme, his deputy Colonel Bruno Doury, the president of the board of directors of Sdis Laurent Suau and the prefect of Lozère Gilles Quénéhervé.
Distinctions
The protocol part, outdoors, was an opportunity to present numerous distinctions to the firefighters, medals of honor, badges, diplomas, promotions, etc. Four firefighters received the badge: having completed their training course, it symbolizes now their membership in the Lozère fire brigade.
Midi Libre – STEPHANIE BOULOIR
The Rescue in perilous and mountainous environment specialty badge was awarded to the Grimp departmental team (Recognition and intervention group in perilous environments).
Midi Libre – STEPHANIE BOULOIR
In his speech, the first as director of the Lozère departmental fire and rescue service, Colonel Lhomme told the 850 firefighters of Lozère, his “great recognition”saluting “families who accept and support this commitment”. He also had a word for the 21 professional firefighters and the eighteen specialized administrative and technical staff.
Thanks
The head of the unit thanked the participants, firefighters, elected officials, state representatives, partners, friends, and took stock of the past year. He also thanked the employers who sign agreements to allow volunteer firefighters to carry out interventions.
The 2024 results in figures
In 2024, firefighters carried out 6,056 interventions, or an average of 17 interventions per day. A figure increasing by 2.5% compared to 2023, and the highest figure recorded over the last six years.
-Among these interventions, 81% involved personal rescue (i.e. 4,900), 7% various operations, 6% public road accidents (360 road accidents), 6% fires (370).
50,000 calls were handled by the call center, including 35,970 emergency requests, or 100 calls per day, one call every quarter of an hour.
1,106 interventions concern the Mende barracks, 624 Marvejols, 591 Florac, 577 Saint-Chély-d'Apcher, 523 Langogne. These five fire and rescue centers provide more than 56% of interventions.
The Dragon, a Civil Security helicopter, present from July 8 to August 25, carried out 109 missions, 54 in the medical version, 45 in the helicopter-borne rescuer version. A third of the interventions were carried out in neighboring departments. 54% of evacuations were directed to Lozère hospital, 24% to Montpellier.
The colonel recalled the five main objectives of the establishment project: “guarantee and secure the operational response; facilitate and consolidate volunteering; establish a conventional, peaceful and secure operation of the Sdis; facilitates the successful implementation of interventions, and finally faces current and future organizational challenges”.
The highlights of 2024
Among the significant events which mobilized the Lozère firefighters during the year 2024, include the rave party in June, the storm in Banassac and the house fire in Meyrueis in July, the Mediterranean episodes and the train derailment in October and November, house fires in Mende in October and November. As well as participation in national solidarity during the Olympic Games, the storm in Decazeville, and the fires in Hérault, Aude and the Pyrénées-Orientales.
The interventions of Laurent Suau, president of the department council and of the board of directors of Sdis, Guylène Pantel, senator, Sophie Pantel, deputy, Régine Bourgade, mayor of Mende, and Gilles Quénéhervé, prefect, paying tribute to the firefighters of Lozère , assured them of their recognition and support.
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