The Natisone tragedy, in which three young people lost their lives, brought about bitter controversy, with criticism rained down against the delays in rescue operations which, inevitably, fell on the National Fire Brigade. But the CGIL Public Service union does not agree and responds to every accusation by underlining a fact that is not of little importance and, certainly, not irrelevant: the difficult situation of the firefighters, an increasingly understaffed category.
After a week of reconstructions and controversies, requests for information from the Minister of Civil Protection Nello Musumeci and announcements of investigations by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Udine, the Fire Brigade have decided to have their say and no longer remain silent, to denounce an increasingly extreme situation. And through the unions they point the finger at the Government, which since its inauguration in 2022 has had a heavy fault that is not forgiven: not having planned and announced a public competition.
Fire Brigade Unions against the Government
“Does anyone really believe we are superheroes?” ask the Fire Brigade through the note from the CGIL Public Function union, underlining that there is very little that is heroic given the treatment to which they are subjected. In fact, the Fire Brigade’s undertakings are carried out with the commitment of firefighters who are often forced to work understaffed, with an overload that is sometimes unacceptable.
The data reported by the union, in fact, are alarming, with teams of 5 going out onto the streets for rescue with two fewer people, effectively making it impossible to cover the territory when necessary. Furthermore, the workloads would be excessive and the fallback to overtime “is ordinary”.
A situation which, at present, has a culprit: the Government. According to the union, in fact, the executive in office since October 2022 has not planned and announced a public competition for Firefighters, effectively marking the crisis of the category.
A delay which, in fact, can be read in the numbers listed by the union: “The main problem remains that of the lack of staffing: 4000 operational and 2500 administrative (Temporary Grouping of Professionals) less. The average age of the Fire Brigade is too old, 47 years, and the Administration’s lack of attention to health and safety has become chronic”.
How much do firefighters earn in Italy?
A really complicated situation. But how much is the salary of firefighters in Italy? The remuneration is set by the collective agreement for the Public Assistance sector signed in the three-year period 2019-2021 and which will soon be subject to an increase following the renewal for the three-year period 2022-2024. With reference to the salary scales in force from 1 January 2023, below are the salaries for firefighters, whose earnings increase as responsibilities increase in a career structured on different levels:
- Firefighter student: 19,616.05 euros;
- Firefighter: 19,616.05 euros;
- Experienced firefighter: 20,164.50 euros;
- Expert firefighter (with conventional trigger): 20,511.96 euros;
- Coordinator firefighter: 21,336.11 euros;
- Coordinator firefighter (with conventional trigger): 22,251.80 euros;
- Team leader: 22,251.80 euros;
- Experienced team leader: 22,755.47 euros;
- Department manager: 23,030.11 euros;
- Expert department head (with conventional trigger): 23,991.63 euros.
Risk compensation must be added to these amounts:
- Firefighter student: 467.25 euros;
- Firefighter: 565.99 euros;
- Experienced firefighter: 599.78 euros;
- Expert firefighter (with conventional trigger): 645.69 euros;
- Coordinator firefighter: 705.64 euros;
- Coordinator firefighter (with conventional trigger): 705.64 euros;
- Team leader: 778.97 euros;
- Experienced team leader: 825.40 euros;
- Department manager: 825.40 euros;
- Expert department head (with conventional trigger): 825.40.
After a certain number of years of service, firefighters are entitled to a specific allowance, in a similar way to what happens for those who practice the profession of nurse, which increases based on seniority:
- after 14 years of service, the monthly allowance varies between 115.54 and 121.10 euros;
- after 22 years, this allowance rises between 176.06 and 184.54 euros per month;
- after 28 years, the monthly allowance varies between 219.54 and 230.09 euros.
Volunteers are instead entitled to an hourly reimbursement in the event of an intervention, which is equal to what a permanent Firefighter of the same rank receives.
