Fire Engines Photos

hi
just one thing, why is there franch soldiers on the fire tender are they the guard of honour.

Added by Mark Whiteley on 19 July 2011.

The BSPP (Brigade de Sapeurs Pompiers de Paris) are a division of the French military. They are Sapper Engineers and as such are available to attend, upon request, any incident in France.

Added by Adey on 19 July 2011.

What's this event in aid of?. Is it an annual occurance?.

Added by Richard Whiting on 19 July 2011.

14th July is Bastille Day in France, an annual event celebrating the storming of the Bastille Prison which is considered to have been the beginning of the French Revolution. Vive la France!

Added by Adey on 19 July 2011.

Bastille Day, July 14. French National Day (analogous to USA July 4). There's always a big military parade down the Champs Elysees, including police and fire units, jet flyovers, tanks, etc. I saw it once in person, in 1993. I've always found it a bit strange that in France most fire brigades are at municipal level, except for Paris, where the brigade is part of the Army, and Marseille, where it's part of the Navy.

Added by Mike Feldman on 20 July 2011.

That not completely true.The French fire departements are organised on County level not municipal level.
The Departements ore countys in the USA, organise the brigades wich are called SDIS , Service Departementale Incendie Secours.
Most fire stations cover large territory and many small towns.
All brigades also do EMS work.

Added by Ed on 20 July 2011.

There was also a celebration of 200 years of the BSPP held on Bastille Day this year

Added by Adey on 20 July 2011.

In France the cities of Paris (and its suburbs) and Marseille have a special treatment for firefighters. In fact the fire department of Paris (known locally BSPP, for Brigade des Sapeurs Pompiers de Paris) report to the Military Engineering, that is, the French Army, while their counterparts in Marseille (called BMPM for Bataillon des Marins Pompiers de Marseille) belong to the French Navy.
It is noted that the BSPP has special posting on the site of Kourou in French Guiana to ensure fire safety fire rocket Ariane, and the extraction of gas Lacq.

Added by Lambert Arnaud on 20 July 2011.

Lambert, I was told that Marseille want to privatise the fire service so that they are no longer under the navy. Any news on that?

Added by Fire995 on 21 July 2011.

It's just impossible. Develop non-military firefighters in the city of Marseille is simply unconstitutional. Paris and Marseille, due to their strategic positions respectively, are the responsibility of military firefighters, as they can on missions of national defense standard, including carrying weapons.
That is why in these two cities firefighters parade always walk with the FAMAS assault rifle in hands.

Added by Lambert Arnaud on 22 July 2011.

Apparently.....it goes back to Napoleon, he didn't trust the city fathers of Paris to protect the city.

Added by Barrie Green on 22 July 2011.

Indeed it is Napoleon Bonaparte, who created the direct ancestor of the current BSPP in 1811. The French also prepare to celebrate in a few weeks in September and October 2011, the bicentenary of the body which is also the largest fire brigade in the world, with 7000 different personal.
The Fire Brigade of Paris was created following a fire in 1810 at the Austrian Embassy in Paris, at a grand ball given in honor of Napoleon Bonaparte and his wife Empress Marie-Louise. During the fire the imperial couple almost died. Thus Napoleon first made the decision to build the French capital with a force of fighters worthy of the name.




Added by Lambert Arnaud on 22 July 2011.

Hmmm. BSPP is large, but I don't think it's the "largest fire brigade in the world". According to wikipedia, FDNY has about 11, 080 uniformed firefighters, plus over 3, 300 EMT's and paramedics. Wikipedia says it's the world's 2nd largest, after Tokyo, and that Paris and London are 3rd and 4th.

Added by Mike Feldman on 23 July 2011.

While it is a large brigade with 7000 personal, it is not the largest in the world. Both the FDNY and Tokyo Fire Department are both considerably larger with approximately 15 900 and 18 000 respectively.

Added by Jack on 23 July 2011.

I understand that its only certain areas in Paris are covered by the Regiment, I was chatting to one of the firefighters outside the Bercy station a few years ago,

Added by Barrie Green on 23 July 2011.

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