France: Firefighters

Sapeurs-pompiers

Last modified: 2005-12-24 by ivan sache
Keywords: firefighters | sapeurs-pompiers |
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• Departmental Corps of Firefighters
• National Higher College of Firefighters Officers (Ecole nationale supérieure des officiers de sapeurs-pompiers)

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• France

Departmental Corps of Firefighters

Flag of the Departmental Corps of Firefighters of Ain, from left to right, reverse, cravate and obverse - Images by Pascal Vagnat, 28 April 2002

Following the reorganization of the Firefighters Corps in 1997, each department has now its own corps of firefighters. The above image shows as an example the flag of the Departmental Corps of Firefighters of the Department of Ain (from left to wright, reverse of the flag, unfolded cravate, and obverse of the flag).

The flag of each Departmental Corps of Firefighters (Corps départemental des sapeurs-pompiers) is prescribed by decree 2001-108, adopted on 6 February 2001 and published in the Official Gazette (Journal Officiel) 32, p. 2074, on 7 February 2001.

The Prime Minister,
After a report by the Minister of the Interior,
In view of law 96-369, 3 May 1996, on fire and assistance services;
In view of law 96-370, 3 May 1996 modified, on development of voluntary participation in the corpses of firefighters.
In view of decree 96-1171, 26 December 1996, on transfers of personnel and goods, as prescribed by law 96-369, 3 May 1996, on fire and assistance services;
In view of decree 97-1125, 26 December 1997, on organization of fire and assistance services,

Orders:

Article 1. A flag shall be granted to each departmental corps of firefighters.

Article 2. The flag granted to each departmental corps of firefighters shall be a silk square of side 90 cm, bordered with a 5 cm long golden fringe, and shall be made of three vertical stripes of equal width, showing the national colours: blue, white and red.

The 2.10 m long blue staff shall be in two parts.

The 24 cm long golden bronze finial shall bear on one side of its basis the capital letters RF [for République Française] and on the other side the capital letters SP [for Sapeurs-Pompiers].

The 90 x 24 cm cravate shall be in tricolor silk with 5 cm long gold fringe, with two tails.

On the obverse of the emblem and as described below shall be gilded with gold leaf on a specific coating:

- the following words written in 50 mm capital letters:

RÉPUBLIQUE
FRANÇAISE

The space between the upper border of the flag and the top of the letters of RÉPUBLIQUE shall be 20 cm; the space between the words RÉPUBLIQUE and FRANÇAISE shall be 4 cm.

- the following words written in 40 mm capital letters:

CORPS DÉPARTEMENTAL
DE SAPEURS-POMPIERS
DE (followed by the name of the department)

The space between lines shall be 30 mm. The inscription shall be placed 5 cm below the word FRANÇAISE.

On the reverse of the emblem shall be written in 50 mm capital letters, with a space of 40 mm in height, the motto of the firefighters [Courage and Dedication]:

COURAGE
ET
DÉVOUEMENT

The space between the upper border of the flag and the top of the letters of COURAGE shall be 33 cm;

In the four angles of the obverse shall be gilded with gold leaf on a specific coating, in 50 mm capital, the letters RF. In the four angles of the reverse shall be gilded with gold leaf on a specific coating a 8 cm high flamed grenade, inscribed into a crown of leaves of oak and laurel.

The crowns shall be placed two by two, lower left - upper right and lower right - upper left.

On both ends of the cravate shall be embroidered in gold a 6 cm high flamed grenade, inscribed into a golden crown of leaves of oak and laurel.

Article 3. The flag granted to each departmental corps of firefighters shall be displayed in public by decision of the Chief of the deparemental corps of firefighters, departmental Director of the fire and assistance services. The flag shall be escorted by a guard of firefighters.

Article 4. The Minister of the Interior is responsible of the execution of the present decree, which shall be published in the Official Gazette.

Made in Paris, 6 February 2001.

Translated by Ivan Sache, 28 April 2002

There seems to have been some delay in the distribution of the flags. According to the daily newspaper Le Courrier Picard (20 June 2005), the Departmental Corps of Firefighters of Somme waited for its flag until 18 June 2005. On that day, Michel Sapin, Prefet of the Region Picardie, officially delivered the Corps flag to Lieutenant-Colonel Pascal Colin. A guard for the flag was set up (according to Article 3 of the Decree).
The flag is similar to the one shown above, except that DE L'AIN is replaced by DE LA / SOMME (on two lines).

Ivan Sache, 27 June 2005

National Higher College of Firefighters Officers (Ecole nationale supérieure des officiers de sapeurs-pompiers)

The flag of the National Higher College of Firefighters Officers is prescribed by decree 2001-109, adopted on 6 February 2001 and published in the Official Gazette (Journal Officiel) 32, p. 2075, on 7 February 2001.

The Prime Minister,
After a report by the Minister of the Interior,
In view of decree 94-802, 14 September 1994, on the organization of the National Institute for Studies on Civil Defence (Institut national d'études de la sécurité civile).

Orders:

Article 1. A flag shall be granted to the National Higher College of Firefighters Officers.

Article 2. The flag granted to the National Higher College of Firefighters Officers shall be a silk square of side 90 cm, bordered with a 5 cm long golden fringe, and shall be made of three vertical stripes of equal width, showing the national colours: blue, white and red.

The 2.10 m long blue staff shall be in two parts.

The 24 cm long golden bronze finial shall bear on one side of its basis the capital letters RF [for République Française] and on the other side the capital letters SP [for Sapeurs-Pompiers].

The 90 x 24 cm cravate shall be in tricolor silk with 5 cm long gold fringe, with two tails.

On the obverse of the emblem and as described below shall be gilded with gold leaf on a specific coating:

- the following words written in 50 mm capital letters:

RÉPUBLIQUE
FRANÇAISE

The space between the upper border of the flag and the top of the letters of RÉPUBLIQUE shall be 20 cm; the space between the words RÉPUBLIQUE and FRANÇAISE shall be 4 cm

- the following words written in 40 mm capital letters:

ÉCOLE NATIONALE SUPÉRIEURE
DES OFFICIERS DE SAPEURS-POMPIERS

The space between lines shall be 30 mm.

On the reverse of the emblem shall be written in 50 mm capital letters, with a space of 40 mm in height, the motto of the firefighters [Courage and Dedication]:

COURAGE
ET
DÉVOUEMENT

The space between the upper border of the flag and the top of the letters of COURAGE shall be 33 cm;

In the four angles of the obverse shall be gilded with gold leaf on a specific coating, in 50 mm capital, the letters RF.
In the four angles of the reverse shall be gilded with gold leaf on a specific coating a 8 cm high flamed grenade, inscribed into a crown of leaves of oak and laurel.
The crowns shall be placed two by two, lower left - upper right and lower right - upper left.

On both ends of the cravate shall be embroidered in gold a 6 cm high flamed grenade, inscribed into a golden crown of leaves of oak and laurel.

Article 3. - The flag granted to the National Higher College of Firefighters Officers shall be displayed in public by decision of the Director of Defence and Civil Defence. For the ceremonies taking place within the National Higher College of Firefighters Officers, the decision of displaying the flag shall be taken by the Senior Officer commanding the College. The flag shall be escorted by a guard of firefighters, members of the College.

Article 4. - The Minister of the Interior is responsible of the execution of the present decree, which shall be published in the Official Gazette.

Made in Paris, 6 February 2001

Translated by Ivan Sache, 28 April 2002