Local Matters: The challenges for the rescue service CGDIS

Local Matters this week is about the drought that has been lasting for quite a few weeks now. Yesterday, we spoke to the president of the winegrowers’ association to hear about the impact of the drought on their crops. and today, we have a look at the work of the rescue services and firefighters who are often in the middle of the events and have a heavy workload this summer.

In many parts of Europe and also in other parts of the world, in California for instance, wildfires are raging, destroy forests and threaten villages. In Luxembourg, wildfires have a smaller scale. But they do happen nevertheless. Tom Barnig is director of operations of the National firefighter and rescue services CGDIS. “In the last weeks, we had more a dozen bushfires a day where we had to intervene.” In Luxembourg, wildfires so far have been less dramatic than in other countries, of course due to the temperatures which are lower than in Southern Europe, but also because there are no forests such as vast as in California or Greece. On third factor is the service of CGDIS. “We could intervene quickly to stop the fire in the beginning, also with the help of the farmers who provided us water and other support.”

Six hundred professional firefighters are employed at CGDIS. Around 4000 volunteers help the firefighters. In case of emergency, they are allowed to leave their working place to assist the professional firefighters in their interventions. Others though are only available during the weekends. The CGDIS is working on recruiting more personnel. Especially, since climate change forecasts more severe and lasting droughts in the coming years, the CGDIS has to prepare. “This will be a big challenge for the rescue services all around the world. Bush fires, storms, heavy rainfall will be increasing in the next years.”

For that reason, the CGDIS has started a reorganization process to adapt to these new challenges. They organize training for the firefighters and acquire new material. Whereas in Southern Europe rescue services have gotten used to combatting wildfires, Luxembourg’s CGDIS has to get acquainted and prepare for the years to come.