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Introduction
The safety of the fire fighters on duty is a major preoccupation of the Department of Civil
Defense and Public Safety. Numerous accidents have killed 196 firemen (160,000 wounded)
these last ten years. Consequently the government has appointed the chief of the Fire Services
National Inspection Staff (colonel POURNY) to write a complete report on the subject in
order to make proposals to improve such a dramatic situation. This paper describes the
“POURNY report” published in 2004. A few years ago the Fire Officers Academy developed
a new operational management and a new method of command. This new organisation began
in the 90’s as a response to dramatic forest fires in the south-east as well as the reform of the
radio-communications networks and a complete over haul of the chain of command. This new
“school of thought” develops decisions making process used in the French military including
anticipation, clear-sightedness, intelligence, pyramidal organisation and sharing of the tasks.
Furthermore, several fire and rescue departments are carrying on research on the subject of
passive safety. For example, several departments are working on the safety standards on the
fire engines. Another one is developing the culture of safety in the fire brigades. The
development of the forest fires-fighting methods, initialised by the training school of the
South-East F.D., has influenced the behaviour of each fireman in France regarding safety.
The major example of integration of safety in the teaching of forest-fire fighting is the
interactive 3D simulator of the “Valabre Castle” Training School.
This report will present basically the organisation of the civil defense in France, the
official apprehension of forest fire fighting training, the progresses in safety rules and the
evolution of R and D.
In: Butler, B.W and Alexander, M.E. Eds. 2005. Eighth International Wildland Firefighter Safety Summit-
Human Factors - 10 Years Later; April 26-28, 2005 Missoula, MT. The International Association of Wildland
Fire, Hot Springs, SD
Eighth International Wildland Fire Safety Summit, April 26-28, 2005 Missoula, MT. 2
The local fire and rescue departments are financially run by local authorities but they
follow national rules and methods. The fire chief is appointed by both the local
circumscription Chairman and the Ministry of Interior.
2. Training
Eighth International Wildland Fire Safety Summit, April 26-28, 2005 Missoula, MT. 3
a. In the risky areas every fireman is trained to F.F. Fighting. More than
50% of the French firemen are trained for forest fire fighting, even on the
elementary level, in order to send capable reinforcements, if required.
b. There are 5 levels of training, from “team member” up to “chief
commander”. Special qualifications exist like “aircraft officer”, “tactical fire
specialist”, “squadron chief officer”…
c. The Fire Department National Academy trains the officers to the
general command. The “Valabre Castle Training Centre” in southern France is
specialised in forest fire fighting techniques of commanding. With this end in
view, the school developed a special 3D interactive digital simulator. The
officers can improve their theoretical knowledge through the commanding of a
fire, at there own level (aircraft officer, platoon chief, squadron chief, chief
commander, mobile HQ chief…) Even planes and helicopters pilots train on
this simulator.
2. Control developing fires: 80% of the early and massively attacked fires keep
standing under 400 m.i²
- The attack of the developing fire is a major act in fighting
Eighth International Wildland Fire Safety Summit, April 26-28, 2005 Missoula, MT. 4
5. Maintaining the fire-fighting aircrafts: the majority belongs to the State (Ministry
of Interior) but the local authorities, especially in Southern France, may rent helicopters or
light planes. The following aircrafts are used:
In the 1980’s huge forest fires involved up to 200 engines and more than 1,000 fire
fighters using only 2 or 3 radio frequencies. The command in such conditions was very
difficult because everybody could listen to everyone, but nobody could give a clear order to
an engine or a group of engines. Any personnel who were in danger had problems getting
through. He was not sure to be heard by his chief or by the H.Q. The reorganisation of the
radio – communication network was based on the military model. At least a hundred
frequencies were distributed by the Ministry of Interior. Some of them are more powerful
than others. There are 4 levels of power. For example every engine of the same group can
listen to another engine or to their leader. The leader can listen to his engines and to the
district commander and to the other group leaders of the same district etc… But everybody is
allowed to call an airplane for assistance (a shared frequency).
They have to prepare firefighting strategies (Anticipation Officer). The Chief Commander
according to events or the information (Intelligence Officer) will decide which one has to be
ordered. Then they have to “translate” the decision of the chief (Action/Communication
Officer), to the officers on the field (chiefs of district) and adapt the plan to what is needed in
the field (Means and Logistics Officer).
Eighth International Wildland Fire Safety Summit, April 26-28, 2005 Missoula, MT. 6
The chief commander divides the field in 3 or 4 districts (that can be divided in other sub-
districts in case of important fire). Each district (or sub-district) is commanded by a captain
who rules 3 squadrons (200-240 fire-fighters).
During the first level training session student fire-fighters are trained in escape or
protection drills. The drills concern an isolated engine crew or a group of engines (platoon).
The platoon consists of:
• 1 command-car (Land Rover 110 Type)
• 3 medium 4 wheel drive fire-engine (85O US Gallon)
• 1 heavy fire-engine (1,700 US Gallon) or a medium one
WIND
Active safety:
The “POURNY Report”* is a complete study about the risks potentially facing any
fireman in any conditions. According to the case of F.F. Fighting this major report indicates
that “the fire engine must provide a safer shelter for the protection and the survival of
the fire fighters”. This statement implies that no fire-fighter should be combating far from a
fire engine or far from a water-pump. Even the “commandos-platoons” who are sent close to
the fire, when there is no track for engines, are supposed to be protected by a water supply. It
can be a water-pumper in case of very long hoses lines or a supply tank led by the helicopter
in a glade. Light motor-pumps and hoses are carried by the fire-fighters special rucksacks.
Hoses are connected as the commando goes up hill. Commandos are usually brought by
heavy helicopters.
Mist protection
Eighth International Wildland Fire Safety Summit, April 26-28, 2005 Missoula, MT. 9
Pourny Report: from the name of the colonel who was appointed in 2003 by the
government to write a report about safety in the fire-services
protection
Generations of fire-fighters officers have been trained in the “Valabre castle” school
where the fighting strategy was invented, developed and modernised. A few years ago, upper
levels students used to be trained on a scale model of representation of a natural area.
Eighth International Wildland Fire Safety Summit, April 26-28, 2005 Missoula, MT. 10
Nowadays a very sophisticated interactive software has been developed by two specialists
belonging to the school. The third generation of the system is currently been used. The school
is looking for the 4th one, using plasma panoramic screens. The virtual training field
represents a real natural site near Marseilles. This site is very well known by local firemen
because many large fires have occurred around this area. The virtual system shows the actions
that every “student officer” is supposed to do when leading his platoon or the Command Unit
or the aircraft fleet or the check-point … The means (engines, planes, helicopters) are
perfectly drawn in 3D. The orders given by the “student officer” through a real radio
network are taken in account by the staff once this order is clearly received. For example a
group of engines is sent to deal with an extension of the fire, an other to protect a village.
Every “player” is isolated from the other but he can see the engines following their route on
the tracks if he is supposed to be in the helicopter. The action of the fighters against the
flames is reproduced, as well as the action of the water bombers ( different if it is water or
retardant ). There are planes or helicopters simulators. Real pilots train for bombing during
the fire officers sessions, learning how to work with the field on the field. The training staff
can easily change data. For example they can change the weather, the wind direction or its
strength or make accidents. Then the students must react in order to save their fighters (use
the proper radio channel, order for protection drill, ask for a plane, send the platoon into a
safer area…). Everyone is allowed to experience a large number of fire and rescue situations.
The CEREN is a public laboratory for research fire behaviour and on the efficiency of
different means of fighting. Tests, experiments, fundamental research and analysis can be
contracted by private companies as well as national or local agencies. The CEREN works
closely with the South-East fire and Rescue Service. High level scientists work there under
Eighth International Wildland Fire Safety Summit, April 26-28, 2005 Missoula, MT. 11
The CEREN has discovered the influence of certain volatile components of distillation on
the behaviour of the firemen. Some Volatile Compound Organics (VCO) attack the nervous
system influencing the capabilities of a leader fire-fighter. Fatigue with VCO result a
deterioration of individual performance.
Conclusions
The specificities of the French methods in Forest Fire-Fighting may be summarised as
follow:
• Forest Fire Fighting is the responsibility of the fire and rescue service
• No fire fighter should stay far from water on pressure
• The cabin of the engine is the best shelter when trapped by fire
• Medical support is requested on every large fire
• Operational management is improving owing to new methods of training such
as the simulator
Safety has really improved these few past years because of major fatal accidents during
F.F-fighting as well as metropolitan fire-fighting. The French government has reacted firmly
organizing a serious study of the phenomenon. This study carried by Colonel POURNY
included the input of fire officers all over officers to work the country. Everyone dealing with
safety (firefighting methods, engine protection, individual protection, new fighting means and
methods, new ways of management, R and D, forest and tracks conception etc…) should
know fire safety becomes a top priority.
Safety must be in all minds, but every body knows that fire-fighters facing the danger
with pride and conviction may forget to follow the rules. In that matter, the “POURNY”
report proposes a new function within the Fire and rescue Services: “the safety officer”. He
must be a well experienced and trained fireman who perfectly knows the fire and the human
behaviour. Half an angel – half a warder he is supposed take care of everybody on the field.
He is able to improve the rules about safety and health at work, he interferes in case of danger
or high risk on the field, he analyzes every accident at work, he prepares the feed-back after
the fire, he controls the specifications of the purchase of individual protection means or
appliances.
“Save or Die” was the French fire-fighters motto. “Save but Not die” should be the next
one.
Acknowledgements
Funding of this report was provided by the members of the French National Civil
Defence Board, especially his director, M. DE LA VERNEE, Colonel Philippe NARDIN in
charge of International Relationship, colonel DE CHALUS in charge of training , colonel
Philippe FLEURY, in charge of appliances standards. Thanks to the “Valabre Training
Eighth International Wildland Fire Safety Summit, April 26-28, 2005 Missoula, MT. 13
School” director colonel Robert BARDO and his deputy director lieutenant-colonel Jean-
Marc BEDOGNI, colonel Claude PICARD, director of the CEREN laboratory, Majors
PATUREL and PATIMO from the SDIS 13. and M. Dick Magan, from the Blackbull Wild
fire Service, met in Seville in 2004, appreciated for his kindness, his humour and his
capabilities.
References
Published reports: Rapport POURNY, DDSC 2003, “les accidents thermiques” colonel
Claude MARET, « la sécurité lors des feux de forêt » CEREN, Nicolas RAFALLI, « La
puissance du feu-rayonnement thermique » Robert CHEVROU.
Conventions and presentations : “Safety and individual protection in Spain” Iturri -Seville
2004, « Sécurité des CCF » Majors PERSOGLIO-PATIMO –Congres national –
Montpellier 2004, « contrôle de qualité des équipements et matériels » Dr Frédérique
GIROUD, CEREN 2004, « projet de référentiel formation feus de forets », « quide
nationaux de référence » DDSC 2005, « ordres national, zonal, départemental feux de
forêt » DDSC.
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