An allocation could encourage firefighters to join a specialized unit



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By Belga

In rescue zones specializations such as diving do not attract enough candidates. To promote these professions, the Ministry of the Interior has proposed to introduce a specialization allowance, but the stakeholders have not yet agreed on the conditions for such an allocation.

"We have more difficult to recruit for the section Grimp (Group recognition and intervention in a dangerous environment, Ed). The divers do an ungrateful job, it must be said. Although diving is a dream, we are talking here about catching corpses or people in the water, cars or animals. All this in cold water, which is not clean and where visibility is greatly reduced. So it's certain, to convince new recruits to specialize without any exchange currency, it's complicated, "says Corporal Christophe Raickman, from the Hemeco area.

In the province of Liège, for example, the area Hemeco has a team of eight divers, whereas it would ideally have twelve.

"The only advantage at the moment is to practice this sport as part of the job. It is an expensive sport and in our case, our exercises are supported by the zone, "adds the corporal.

The interventions of the teams of divers are the first intervention in terms of rescue of life, before the fires. One out of every 10 divers' intervention is a rescue of human or animal life.

"The previous government provided for a diploma allowance for professionals in accordance with the Royal Decree of 20/06/1994. It has been proposed to make it a specialization allowance to reward and encourage people who engage in specializations such as divers, "Interior Minister Jan Jambon's (N-VA) office said. "Stakeholders (federations, unions …) have not been able to agree on the amount or the list of specializations to consider or the conditions to be met. This explains why the zones must always pay a diploma and not a specialization allowance. "

The Liège area currently counts 18 divers and hopes to have 24 of them in two years' time. However, recruitment is not that easy. "You have to be a firefighter before you're a diver. A large majority of divers do not make an entire career in this section. They stay there for a maximum of 10 to 15 years, "notes Captain Sebatien Babette from the Liège area. In question ? Work hardship and physical or ear problems

Pending a specialization allowance, each rescue zone must carry out a risk badysis on the basis of which it must provide adequate personnel, equipment and resources . If they are short of specialized staff, the zones may also enter into agreements with neighboring areas for mutual badistance, but the barracks are understaffed.

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