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Editorial Courrier du Pays de Retz
Published on
Jan 19, 2025 at 5:18 p.m.
This Saturday, January 11, 2025, during the Sainte-Barbe ceremony, the Lieutenant Daniel Falloux will receive the “grand gold” medal for his 40 years of service within the Machecoul Fire and Rescue Center.
He is the deputy of captain Pascal Boucardwho can speak about his colleague with complete confidence.
Working with Daniel means working peacefully, I can count on his professionalism.
The head of the center can rely on this man who began his career with the fire brigade a little before he turned 18.
“I joined on March 18, 1984 and turned 18 on April 17! I started in a village in Saumur, where I was born, in Puy Notre Dame,” explains the Machecoulais.
Clarinet and beep are never far away!
If the uniform is a dream for many children, for Daniel, it was a more pragmatic choice… “In my small village of 1,500 inhabitants, at the time, children had the choice between football, music and the fire brigade! I chose music and firefighters. »
Two activities that he always practices, since his clarinet is never far away and neither is the beep! “All the men in my family play the clarinet,” explains Daniel Falloux.
When he left his native region, after working with his father on the wine farm, he sought to settle “in a town where there was a barracks. My choice was made in Machecoul and I didn't leave! »
“We have a good atmosphere”
Arriving at the end of spring 90, he packed his bags and took up his duties on Boulevard des Prizes. “I never wanted to leave the CIS Machecolais. We have a good atmosphere and a very good chef. The interventions are diverse. »
Daniel works in the roads department of the Sud Retz Atlantique community of communes. Thanks to an agreement between the center and the community, it can be easily released for daytime interventions.
-Don't want to hang up at all
Far from wanting to hang up, because he would “miss it too much”, he likes to recall some memories. Good ones as well as bad ones “that we try to forget”. His fondest memory comes from an intervention where he was called for a cardiac arrest in a child under three years old. “When we arrived, the child was crying. He was saved! »
He also admits to being sometimes surprised during accidents. “When we see the damage, we see people doing very well. »
All these memories are important for the darker days. “Like when you have to tell a kid that his father didn't suffer… Suicides which are really very difficult. And then, everything that has to do with children, you never get used to it. »
Over the years, Daniel Falloux has noticed that the activity is evolving in a new context. Before, we knew that there was incivility in large cities, but today, in rural areas, we are also confronted with it, describes the firefighter. Fortunately, the departmental service does not give up on us. Systematically, in the event of a problem, he files a complaint.
An important act for these men and women who give their time and “to [leur] family life to help others.
He learned to “take a step back”
Daniel Falloux is also the group leader, the one who is sent to the field as soon as there are more than three vehicles on an intervention or when there is a problem. “We are here to watch, analyze, help. We will channel what is happening at the Inter and we will manage it. Our role is to be the eyes of Codis, the departmental fire and rescue operational center. »
To be a group leader, you must complete additional training. “It allows you to take a step back and that is not negligible. »
“Don’t think you’re a hero on the road”
Before receiving his “grand gold” medal, the lieutenant would like to send a message.
If firefighters made you dream when you were a child, if you considered them heroes, don't think of yourself as heroes on the road. Driving slower saves time!
And there, not only is it the firefighter who speaks, but also the truck driver, a profession he practiced for several years.
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