Each year, EU citizens witness and suffer from devastating effects of climate change in the forms of extreme heatwaves, wildfires, torrential rains and devastating floodings.

While the extent and frequency of theses disasters increase, the frontline responders – notably firefighters as well as civil protection and emergency services personnel – go above and beyond their capacities to save people’s lives and limit the damages to nature and the health and property of the people.

While the year 2022 marked yet again a new record high in drought, heatwaves, and forest fires, there is an acute need for additional measures for an improved prevention and mitigation of the impacts of such disasters.

In the frame of CESI’s Firefighters’ Day 2023, delegates from member organisations representing firefighters and other rescue services unite in various meetings with EU stakeholders to discuss avenues, both at EU and national levels, to further improve the efficiency of emergency services, especially fire brigades, through enhanced cross-border coordination and solidarity, perfected early-warning mechanisms and not least extensive safety and health provisions.

During the meetings,

·        the ‘EU Civil Protection Mechanism’ and the ‘rescEU reserve’,

·        the fitness of the (professional, on call, volunteer, etc.) status of firefighters and their integrated use in rescue operations,

·        different national approaches to combat forest fires or other natural disasters,

·        EU strategies for combatting forest fires and other natural disasters,

·        the funding of research in ‘alternative’ means of firefighting management such as drones,

·        and not least the needs, interests and concerns of those fighting in the frontlines

shall be subject to detailed exchanges.

Find the full agenda here: CESI_firefighters_day_agenda_EN.

Interpretation in DE, EN and FR will be provided depending on the registrations received.

The meeting will take place in a hybrid form, in Brussels, at various locations (European Parliament, CESI office, European Commission) and via Zoom. 

***The event takes place in the framework of CESI’s EU funded ECOTRA project.