In Geneva, a barracks recently made headlines after the discovery of a hidden carnotzet. The people involved deny any excessive consumption of alcohol, but this story revives the image of volunteer firefighters who party too much. A reputation that companies absolutely want to disappear.
It’s a cliché that all firefighters have already heard: a company of volunteers means a lot of alcohol consumption. This reputation does not come from nowhere, said the French-speaking firefighters contacted by RTS. It would even be historical and go back to the time when men had the choice between doing compulsory service in the barracks or paying an exemption tax (commonly called “firefighter tax”).
Before, as many people came just to avoid paying the tax, they were not very willing. They arranged to drink an aperitif
The companies were then not only made up of motivated people, believes Gérard Grau. This former president of the Landeron Firefighters Association (NE) remembers the exercises at the start of his service in the 1970s: “As many people came only to avoid paying the tax, they were not great volunteers They arranged to drink an aperitif. For example, the motor pump – it is an engine with a suction system – had hidden the reserve of bottles in one of the four pipes for the exercise at the edge of the lake. . It was tolerated.”
Volunteer firefighters were then seen as an extension of rural youth. “We went there more for the camaraderie and to have a good time than for the desire to put out fires,” some remember.
“We must be irreproachable”
As elsewhere in society, alcohol consumption has gradually become less commonplace among firefighters. A development encouraged by several changes within the fire stations: the “firefighter tax” has disappeared and the village companies have grouped together, thus having to manage more interventions. The mission has also become more technical. From then on, we had to learn to wear respirators or handle chemicals, which requires full concentration.
We must show an image to the population that corresponds to what we expect from a firefighter.
At the same time as this specialization, the companies have had a real desire to improve the image of the volunteer firefighter. “We must show an image to the population that corresponds to what we expect from a firefighter,” argues Thierry Charrey, president of the Vaudoise Firefighters Federation. “When we are on duty or when we get behind the wheel of a heavy vehicle, we must be at 0‰. We have an important public safety mission, we are the first responders in the same way as the police or the paramedics. And we go to people’s homes, in the privacy of their apartments. We must be impeccable.
-For around fifteen years, many barracks have established rules on alcohol consumption. For example, it is forbidden to go to a restaurant or bar wearing firefighter clothing. The management of refreshments and the organization of parties are left to the associations, these associations which bring together current and retired firefighters and which operate with their own accounting.
As for the blood alcohol level, among militia firefighters, only drivers are restricted by federal law (0.1‰ or 0.5‰ depending on the situation). But more and more companies are asking their members to refuse any drink of alcohol while on duty.
The importance of the friendship glass
These rules surrounding the consumption of alcohol do not, however, mean that the drink has disappeared from the barracks. In the volunteer companies, there is always a fridge with wine and beers, confirm all the French-speaking firefighters contacted. The barracks are often a place where we gather after exercises or interventions which can sometimes be traumatic.
We find ourselves intervening with people we don’t necessarily meet outside of the firefighters. It therefore remains very important to have these moments of cohesion, without going to excess and consuming excessive alcohol.
“These moments around beers or glasses of white wine allow us to get through difficult times,” believes Thierry Charrey. “This cohesion is essential and makes our work effective. We find ourselves intervening with people we don’t necessarily meet outside of the firefighters. It therefore remains very important to have these moments of cohesion, without going into excess and excessive alcohol consumption.”
A Friborg firefighter adds that alcohol sometimes served as a decompression valve. But there too, there is change. At the time, we managed the post-intervention with a pat on the shoulder and a bottle of wine. Today, the barracks are setting up debriefings and psychological support.
Anouk Pernet
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