The lack is likely to have more and more consequences. Firefighters from the Rhône, faced with fuel shortages, asked their management for measures allowing them to buy fuel to reach their barracks and ensure “continuity of service”.
“During the days of the strike during which the fuel distributors are targeted, the agents (…) find themselves in difficulty to refuel their personal vehicles in order to go to their place of work”, writes the union Sud Solidaires of the firefighters of the metropolis of Lyon and the Rhône (SDMIS) in a letter addressed to its management. He claims that this “provides for the establishment of a fuel supply system, in order to guarantee an operational response within the SDMIS”, continues the letter dated October 8, sent to AFP. This could go through “priority access to fuel pumps or SDMIS strategic reserves”, details the letter.
“Not yet a subject”, according to management
Certain emergency vehicles such as those of the fire brigade, the police, the SAMU or the gendarmerie are considered to have priority, but the firefighters are not individually concerned. “It would be incoherent to have operational vehicles with a full tank of fuel without having personnel to arm them”, underlines the union, referring to an “organizational problem” which, according to him, puts “potentially at risk the continuity of service”.
VIDEO. “I’m going to end up siphoning off!” “: in Paris, drivers on the verge of running out of fuel
The management of the SDMIS ensures for its part that it has for the time being “no concern for the continuity of services”. “We are not aware of any difficult situations of agents who have not been able to come to work, they organize themselves in different ways, in particular with carpooling. This is not yet a subject for us, even if we remain vigilant for the future, ”said a spokesperson.
Many French service stations have been experiencing supply disruptions for several days due to strikes in refineries and fuel depots of TotalEnergies and Esso-ExxonMobil. A social movement intended to demand wage increases, against a backdrop of inflation and record profits for the oil groups.