“Does anyone really believe we are superheroes?”. After a week of reconstructions and controversies, requests for information from the Minister of Civil Protection and announcements of investigations by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Udine, the firefighters have decided to have their say. The CGIL Public Function union has issued a note with which it takes […]
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“Does anyone really believe we are superheroes?”. After a week of reconstructions and controversies, requests for information from the Minister of Civil Protection and announcements of investigations by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Udine, the firefighters have decided to have their say. The CGIL Public Function union has issued a note with which it takes a position on the case of the three boys who died in Natisone and recalls the difficulties that accompany risky work that is not sufficiently supported by resources.
“The flash flood of last May 31st, which swept away three boys in a point reported as the most high risk, shook all of us, the community and the entire chain of rescuers. Each intervention scenario is, for the Fire Brigade called to provide assistance, different and complex in its approach. Nobody imagines blaming the actions of the staff who intervened that day.” A very harsh statement. “We are close to the families of the victims and we join them with condolences. Any relevant responsibility, if any, if ascertained, is attributed also taking into account the responsibilities of the competent Administrations. The union’s complaints must also be taken into account to attribute serious responsibilities”.
The list of what doesn’t work is quite long. “The Fire Brigade works understaffed, with an overhead that is sometimes unacceptable. The teams, sometimes reduced to 3 units compared to the 5 needed, are unable to cover the territory quickly and uniformly. Staff do not undergo mandatory training and are unable to maintain operational standards due to the inability to carry out maintenance and re-training. We have excessive workloads and the fallback to overtime is ordinary. Does anyone really believe we are superheroes?”.
The provocative question reflects the state of mind of those who risk to save others and then, sometimes, end up accused. “The main problem remains that of shortage of staff: 4000 operational and 2500 administrative (Temporary Grouping of Professionals) less. The average age of the firefighters is too old, 47 years, and the Administration’s lack of attention to health and safety has become chronic. Since the day of its inauguration, in 2022, the government in office has not planned and announced a public competition for Firefighters”.
The FP Cgil union concludes: “No one touches the Fire Brigade. Too often, staff shortages, the lack of adequate tools and equipment for the intervention, the Administration’s poor ability to manage the territorial organization of the rescue and the prediction of events with their possible repercussions, they leave workers exposed who have very high professionalism, but risk themselves both during the rescue and in the proceedings of the competent authorities who analyze the facts after the fact”.
