Belgian firefighters lack protective gear

Tens of thousands of Belgian firefighters do not have adequate protective clothing, according to a report by the Belga news agency. While there is no shortage of equipment for cleaning duties, as many as 17,500 firefighters – including 12,500 volunteers – lack the proper gear for maximum protection.

The biggest danger is exposure to toxic substances that seep into clothing, which have been shown to cause blood-cell tumours as well as prostate and testicular cancer, said Eric Labourdette, president of the rescue divisions of the SLFP trade union for public workers.

Labourdette lamented the fact that Brussels firefighters have only two sets of gear – jacket and trousers – per person and that certain stations even lack a washing machine.

“Our needs often fall by the wayside. Nothing has changed” since the 2004 Ghislenghein disaster, he said. “With the establishment of [new] recue zones, this has gotten worse; certain fire stations haven’t yet appointed a prevention adviser and there are no annual medical check-ups.”

Some 21 firemen have died in action between 2000 and 2014, and a government study found their life spans to be seven years shorter than the population average.