French firefighters demand 21,000 new positions after fruitless meeting with Interior Minister

A meeting that produced nothing

Nine representative unions of professional firefighters (sapeurs-pompiers) were received by Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez on Thursday, August 13, for nearly two hours at the Interior Ministry. The meeting, originally scheduled for 45 minutes according to one participant, was extended to 1h45 but produced no concrete commitments. Union representatives emerged "disappointed" and more frustrated than before. Xavier Boy, spokesperson for the alliance of nine unions and president of the Fédération autonome des sapeurs-pompiers professionnels, said they received no information on strategy or financing.

Nothing! No information was given to us on strategy, on financing. What we are asking is: what is the direction? What civil security do we want for our French citizens?

David Saquet, president of UNSA-SDIS, was equally blunt.

Political blah-blah is over. Our patience has limits.

21,000 additional positions demanded

The unions are demanding the creation of at least 21,000 additional professional firefighter positions across France. Currently, approximately 44,000 professional firefighters serve the country, not counting volunteers. The unions argue this number is insufficient to fulfill all their missions. Rémy Chabbouh, spokesperson for Sud-SDIS, explained that 85% of interventions involve victim rescue, including pre-hospital care and covering private ambulance shortages, work he described as not properly belonging to firefighters. He said the anger is present and human resources are needed urgently.

Equipment failures and a devastating summer

Since the beginning of summer 2026, 122,000 hectares have burned in France, hundreds of homes have been destroyed, and four firefighters have lost their lives. Cyrille Albanese, a professional firefighter with the SPP-PATS 34 union in Hérault, described the current hoods as failing to filter smoke and particles properly, with gases passing through. He called the equipment dangerous and demanded adapted material. A fire in Poussan, Hérault, alone ravaged 150 hectares. A union representative warned before the meeting that the forest fires this summer, while of exceptional scale, will become the norm and have shown that the system is heading straight into a wall.

Government promises and union skepticism

Minister Nuñez announced that a bill to modernize civil security will be presented to the unions on September 8. He stated that the state's civil security budget has increased 93% since 2017 and will reach €879 million in 2027, up from €800 million in 2026. However, no concrete figures were provided for additional SDIS funding. A 12-month consultation launched in mid-2024 was supposed to produce an ambitious modernization law with additional financing but remained a dead letter. The unions also denounce a tug-of-war between the State and departments, which are the primary funders of SDIS. Xavier Boy said he believes firefighters are paying the price of this standoff, and that the Association of Departments of France wants to maintain control over its finances.

September mobilization planned

The unions have called for a static demonstration on September 26, 27, and 28 at Place de la République in Paris, inviting the public and parliamentarians to meet them. A large-scale national mobilization is planned for September 29, coinciding with the public service action day. The government's strategy carries risks, as the fire season is far from over and exhausted firefighters cannot afford to wait for the timelines set by the minister. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is scheduled to visit Gironde on Monday, August 17, two weeks after a mega-fire ravaged the region. The movement also risks being co-opted by political oppositions eight months before the 2027 presidential election.