The firefighters have just announced that they are freezing all relations with the Samu and the ARS. They denounce the inconsistent policy of the government, which has excluded them from the consultations.
It is a real rant from the firefighters. They do not want to be reduced to the rank of subcontractors, but to be an actor in ongoing discussions. However, the government multiplies the announcements, without having concerted them. Suddenly, the National Federation of Firefighters of France (FNSPF) freezes all relations and collaboration, apart from operational actions, with the Samu and the Regional Health Agencies (ARS).
The President of the Republic had promised, at the Congress of the Federation last October, access to emergencies in less than 30 minutes. But since no consultation has taken place with the firefighters, yet at the heart of the rescue. And Marisol Touraine’s speech at the emergency congress set fire to the powder: she did not mention the fire and rescue services once. “We do not want to be at the service of those who call us when necessary, and remain ignored the rest of the time,” insists Frédéric Faure, president of the FNSP. According to him, contacts are almost non-existent with the ARS, and in the departments, financial and organizational difficulties with the Samu and support hospitals are numerous.
4,500 volunteer fire-fighters
The Minister of Health has announced that she wants to reduce the wait time in the emergency room. And decisions deemed unilateral by the FNSPF have been taken, such as the development of helicopters for the health services, to the detriment of multipurpose helicopters for civil security. However, the latter provide multiple missions, ranging from inter-hospital transport to helicopter hoisting at sea and mountain rescue. And according to the firefighters’ unions, medical helicopters will not be able to fulfill the same missions.
It is also planned to deploy the corresponding doctors from the Samu in competition with the 4,500 volunteer firefighters, or even the establishment of a national information system of the Samu supposed to bring together all the actors of urgent care … with the exception of firefighters.
For its part, the AP-HP (Public Assistance of Paris Hospitals) wants to halve the average waiting time in emergencies, close to 4 hours for adults. 40 measures should be implemented in the coming months to reach this target, set for 2019.
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