Developing a regulatory framework for cross-border firefighter cooperation
Beneficiaries & Territory
Pyrénées-Atlantiques Departmental Fire and Rescue Service (SDIS64) (FR) and Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa (ES)
Department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques with the border of the Diputación Foral of Gipuzkoa
Goal
Develop a cross-border operational cooperation between the firefighters from Pyrénées-Atlantiques Departmental Fire and Rescue Service (SDIS64) and from Gipuzkoa through local agreements which will provide a framework for mobilising human and material resources as part of day-to-day risk management.
This project is part of a process to strengthen joint capacities in order to respond more effectively to civil protection issues in a cross-border area.
Specific objectives
- Draw up a declaration of intent on cross-border cooperation to prepare for the development of local agreements.
- Twinning fire and rescue stations, which will encourage the sharing of best practice, the implementation of joint exercises and the organisation of joint training courses.
- Establish a legal framework and collaboration agreements through a working group of representatives of the French and Spanish governments.
- Develop coordinated response to specific cross-border risks that characterise the territory.
Planned activities
- Setting up working groups bringing together the heads of fire and rescue stations on both sides of the border in charge of the joint development of the twinning of cross-border fire stations and including joint training, shared training and the monitoring progress to adjust practices where needed.
- Organising political and media events to celebrate the formalisation of the twinning between the fire and rescue stations and publicly highlight the commitment of firefighters to this partnership.
- Formalising the political commitment to cross-border cooperation on emergency services with a declaration of intent.
- Organising a consultation to be carried out among firefighters to gather valuable information on the specific features of local risks (urban fires, industrial accidents, etc.), operational challenges encountered during cross-border operations, the teams’ expectations and proposals for cooperation.
- Setting up a local arrangement guaranteeing the legal framework for fire and rescue missions in the cross-border area concerned. This new agreement will strengthen coordination in the day-to-day management of cross-border risks and provide a legal framework for joint intervention in the event of natural disasters or major accidents.