© Sam Bouchon
The Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue Corps unveiled its annual report and plans for a new emergency rescue unit on Monday, highlighting growing operational challenges, the impact of Luxembourg's aging population, and steps to bolster crisis resilience ahead of its patron saint celebrations.
The Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue Corps (CGDIS) on Monday held a press conference ahead of the 4 December celebrations of their patron saint, St Barbara, presenting their annual report and announcing plans to form a new emergency rescue unit.
The 7,000 CGDIS team members, including 1,000 full-time employees, carried out 70,000 operations last year, a number matching with that of the previous year. In 80% of cases, an ambulance had to be deployed.
According to speakers at the press briefing, Luxembourg's ever-growing and aging population is raising many challenges, including a greater number of operations due to mental issues, as well as drug and alcohol-related problems.
Administrative Council President Alain Becker spoke of a noticeable mindset change with many people quickly calling the emergency line after being overwhelmed by minor issues and not being aware of where to find help.
"Unfortunately, this phenomenon also impacts hospital doctors, which we see in the overcrowded emergency rooms", Becker further noted.
CGDIS officials expressed hopes that modern technologies will help to better orient patients in the future, citing their new operation system for the 112 emergency line as a promising example.
Recent challenges for the Rescue Corps included the Covid pandemic and an increase in environmental emergencies. Officials also spoke about the ongoing wars in the world and the need for the CGDIS to anticipate external changes. For that reason, the CGDIS will launch a new Specific Civil Protection Capacity Reserve – Resc-LU in short – in 2025. The primary purpose of this unit is not medical support, but rather technical and humanitarian aid for municipalities in times of crisis, ultimately making the country more resilient.
CGDIS Director Paul Schroeder also used the opportunity to address some of the scandals that happened this year, including the suspension of an emergency doctor who took a selfie at the scene of an accident, and a video of a group of firefighter trainees singing an obscene song. Schroeder labelled theses incidents a "learning opportunity" and conveyed that works on the new CGDIS 'value charter' are in full swing, with external consultants who previously worked for the police and the army helping to get the charter ready by early 2025.
