Expressing his gratitude, Minister Gloden stated, “It is a special honour for me to give my first official speech as Minister of Home Affairs at the CGDIS’s Saint Barbara celebration,” addressing an audience of approximately 300 firefighters.
Director General of CGDIS, Paul Schroeder, highlighted a significant milestone in 2022, with over 72,000 deployments, an average of 200 per day. Emphasising the growing demand for emergency services, the president of the administrative board, Lydie Polfer, underlined the dedication of the 650 full-time and 4,000 volunteer firefighters currently serving in Luxembourg. Both Minister Gloden and Director General Schroeder affirmed their commitment to ongoing recruitment efforts to meet future demands.
In their recent discussions, Minister Gloden and Director General Schroeder emphasised the importance of maintaining continuity in emergency services, particularly in alignment with the national security plan (PNOS) that extends until 2026. The PNOS outlines crucial objectives, including ensuring on-site assistance within 15 minutes anywhere in the country. While committed to preserving these standards, both leaders acknowledged the evolving landscape of CGDIS and shared insights into their vision for its future.
Director General Schroeder stressed the need for enhanced cooperation with the healthcare sector. He stressed, “On many of our missions, we encounter people who need help, but do not strictly qualify as medical emergencies.” Schroeder also highlighted the necessity for a comprehensive review of the tele-alarm system, noting that contrary to initial expectations, the system resulted in an increased, not decreased, workload for CGDIS.
While Luxembourg has been fortunate to avoid major natural disasters in recent months, Schroeder acknowledged the rising requests for assistance from abroad in such cases. Advocating for mutual European solidarity, he suggested that investments in this direction are crucial.
Minister Gloden expressed a keen interest in expanding the national warning system for disaster events. The ongoing platform project, involving all relevant stakeholders, is set to be finalised by mid-2024. Emphasising the importance of dialogue with municipalities, Gloden stated, “We will continue to work with local authorities to implement procedures ensuring that people are even better informed when something happens.”
Director General Schroeder also highlighted the need to expedite fire safety procedures involving building owners, CGDIS, and municipalities. The Minister is likely to echo this concern, as it would align with the new government’s commitment to accelerate all procedures, as outlined in its coalition agreement.
