(16 June 2015) The EPSU Firefighters Network met on 11 and 12 of June 2015 in Hannover to discuss climate change and investment into disaster reduction, and the impact of climate change on public services and their workers. The EPSU Firefighters Network supports the five ETUC key demands for the Climate COP21 as will be adopted by the ETUC Executive Committee on 17-18 June 2015.
The participants of the Network debated about concrete and sustainable steps that are necessary to deal with adaptation and mitigation of climate change. Examples of adaptation include preparing risk assessments, protecting ecosystems, improving agricultural methods, managing water resources, building settlements in safe zones, developing early warning systems, instituting better building designs, improving insurance coverage and developing public services to assure social safety nets. These measures are linked to a sustainable development, as they reduce the risks to lives and livelihoods and increase the resilience of local communities. Adaption and mitigation measures should be developed jointly to reduce and not inadvertently exacerbate disaster risks. Investing in disaster risk reduction will reduce the negative impacts of flooding, landslides, heat waves, temperature extremes, droughts and intense storms.
Adaptation to climate risks and disaster reduction requires enhanced governments’ regulatory capacity and the strengthening of public services, recruiting new staff and equipping public sector workers, in particular first responders, nurses, firefighters, emergency responders, medical assistants and doctors who are the forefront to reduce and prevent climate risks and disaster reduction with the skills required to ensure risk preparedness and addressing the needs of the most vulnerable. More focus is needed to ensure that public sector workers find the appropriate recognition in the European framework of Civil Protection and Disaster Risk Reduction. Evidence shows that Public-Private Partnerships, market-based instruments and private insurance will not deliver on adaptation to climate change. Given that shortage of adequately-trained personnel is affecting almost all services in the area of disaster preparedness and response adequate staff is necessary along with financial and technical capacities.
All groups of public sector workers involved in climate change and disaster preparedness and risk reduction should be equipped with the necessary training and personal protective equipment. The conditions for public sector workers involved in climate change reduction and disaster risk reduction put a strain on working conditions and can mean difficult operations, extra workloads and long hours at work. Psychosocial risks and post-traumatic stress are well documented for e.g. firefighters and prevention and specific measures are needed before, during and after operations and interventions. Firefighters’ safety and health can be adversely affected by exposures in floods, wildfires and storms.
The European Commission in particular should further assess the impact of climate change and adaptation policies on employment and vulnerable groups. It should also include the impacts on occupational health and safety and working conditions for public sector workers. Measures to address the negative impacts and maximise the benefits of adaptation should be proposed and the financial means to support skills-development and occupational health and safety programmes for all occupational groups of the public sector and services.
Integrating social and environmental criteria in public procurement remains an absolute priority, ensuring that public investment is to deal with upholding quality public services that are vital to reduce poverty, social dumping and climate change and disaster reduction. Given expensive equipment and the need for cross border solidarity, a pan-European approach would help firefighters across Europe carry out this climate work most effectively.
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