Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper): Recruits join the fire brigade as veterans retire. Colonel Brugghemans highlights tough training and teamwork for handling challenges.
The fire brigade is seeing many recruits because many experienced firefighters have retired. This shift is making the team younger overall. Colonel Bert Brugghemans, the zone commander, is proud that they can still attract strong candidates who want to join the force. He mentioned that the recruitment process is quite challenging. It includes tough tests and high standards, which means that not everyone who applies will pass. This selection process ensures that only the most dedicated and capable individuals are chosen to become firefighters.
How is the media influencing firefighter recruitment and public interest?
Colonel Brugghemans points out that media plays a big role in shaping the image of the fire brigade. He believes that many television shows focused on firefighting have had a positive effect. The increased visibility of these popular shows helps to spark interest in firefighting careers. This public interest is very helpful, as it ensures that the fire brigade can attract strong candidates who are ready to meet the challenging demands of the job.
“We are going towards danger while everyone else is running away from it”
Bert Brugghemans, zone commander
Yannick wants to be a firefighter because he enjoys helping others. He finds the job rewarding and challenging. Even though firefighters work odd hours, he is not worried about that. Yannick does not have experience with a volunteer fire brigade, but he is eager to learn. His strong desire to help people drives him to succeed in this career.
Yannick and his fellow recruits will participate in a six-month training program that will teach them important emergency skills. After training, Yannick will join a team and work with experienced firefighters. He will then have an internship to practice what he learned. This training and hands-on experience will prepare all recruits, including Yannick, for the challenges of being firefighters.
Firefighting challenges
Zone commander Colonel Bert Brugghemans believes that being a firefighter is becoming more difficult. He sees global events, like the wildfires in Los Angeles, as examples of the growing challenges. Brugghemans stresses the importance of working together. He says that different zones and regions must cooperate. This teamwork is important for handling various emergencies. Sometimes, the challenges can be too much for one team alone. He mentioned that by working together, firefighters can respond better to tough situations. This approach helps them manage emergencies more effectively.
According to Brugghemans, different fire zones have agreements to help each other in emergencies. For example, if there is an accident with dangerous materials, nearby areas like Antwerp can step in to help. If a wildfire happens, the fire brigade can get support from a zone that knows how to handle wildfires better. This way, no single zone gets too stressed. They can use each other’s skills and resources to manage tough situations. This teamwork helps all areas stay ready for any emergency.
