The condemnations were unanimous. Sunday May 1 in Paris, a scene filmed and broadcast on social networks aroused great indignation. We see a demonstrator twice attacking a Paris firefighter who was then trying to put out a pallet fire. This woman has since been arrested. In the evening of Sunday, the Paris Firefighters reacted on Twitter: “That is enough! Shame on the savagery, incomprehensible this new aggression vis-à-vis the firefighters of Paris in the exercise of their functions”.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, 1,518 attacks against firefighters were counted in 2021. This figure, down 14% compared to last year, however reflects a reality that these professionals face every day. To better measure this phenomenon, a national observatory of violence aimed at firefighters was installed at the end of 2020.
Are you a professional firefighter or a volunteer firefighter, have you ever witnessed or suffered violence during your interventions? Have you received training to best manage these verbal or physical attacks? What impact does this phenomenon have on your day-to-day work?