The relationship between the volunteer firefighters and the General Directorate of Prevention, Extinction of Fire and Rescue is becoming tense. The Federation of Volunteer Bombers of Catalonia (FBVCat) warned after its last meeting with the leadership of the Department of the Interior, on July 25, that "a large part of the group" was beginning to consider "protest actions" in the face of "immobility" of the Interior with the demands that the collective has maintained for years. Claims such as the improvement of accident coverage or financial compensation in case of disability, among others.
The first to stand up have been the volunteer firefighters from the ten parks in the Girona region that for a couple of days have been "inoperative" sine die as a response to the "inaction" of the Interior in the face of their demands. Among their main demands, which they have already transferred in writing to the general director Joan Delort, is to consolidate health care in the event of an accident, as well as legal assistance, in case of need. They also demand that the insurance cover them in the event of death or permanent or temporary disability, and guarantee salary in the latter case, as well as a series of social benefits, such as being able to take advantage of early retirement, tax advantages such as personal income tax deductions and to be offered a private health mutual. Demands with which they want to avoid having "first and second class firefighters." The president of the FBVCat, Miquel Messeguer, considers that the plan to strengthen the body that the department has presented to them "is a patch" that does not include "the main demands".
Yesterday other Catalan parks such as Benifallet, in Terres de l'Ebre, joined the sit-in in Girona, which decided to join the action "indefinitely" and "until further notice".
The stoppage comes at a critical moment of high risk of forest fire that today affects 42 municipalities in seven counties, including those of Empordà and Terres de l'Ebre, Tarragona, Lleida, Penedès and Garraf due to the combination of wind, humidity low and dry vegetation.
However, despite the casualties of the volunteer firefighters, from the Interior it is pointed out that the service is "fully guaranteed". In a statement, the department indicates that it is working on several improvement proposals such as those referring to financial compensation in the event of disability. The general management "shares the need to guarantee coverage in case of need without a time limit". Currently there was a maximum limit of 365 calendar days. They also consider that there should not be any mutual limitation of accident coverage, as was the case now.
However, they do not contemplate the elimination of the current mixed model of the body, made up of officials and volunteers, considering that there are "several impediments that do not make it possible to assume this proposal." Entities such as the Association of Volunteer Firefighters of Catalonia (Asbovoca) have called on several occasions for the labor regularization of volunteer personnel and for them to become public employees.
