The renewal of the availability agreement between the Departmental Fire and Rescue Service of Bouches-du-Rhône (Sdis 13) and the company Orange was formalized on Friday, September 25, 2026, during the Mayors' Fair of Bouches-du-Rhône, held in Salon-de-Provence. This agreement aims to support volunteerism among firefighters.
The signing of this employer convention, formalized in the presence of Philippe Daumas, regional director of Orange, and Richard Mallié, president of Pompiers13, is seen as a strong message in favor of volunteerism. It ensures the continuity of a partnership beneficial to the public service mission of protecting populations and the territory carried out by Sdis 13.
This system, which links the employer, the volunteer firefighter, and Sdis 13, allows volunteer employees to benefit from 20 usable days for training or duty. Corporal-chef Lionel Stark, a volunteer firefighter in Aix – La Chevalière, states: 'It's the same if there are requests for reinforcement, for example, to go outside the department. There is no prior notice required. Of course, we must consider the service needs at Orange, but from my own experience, I have never had a problem.'
Thanks to this agreement, Corporal-chef Stark was able to take time off for several duties during the summer forest fires. Corporal-chef Paul Grimaldi, a volunteer firefighter in Salon-de-Provence, was also able to respond to the fire in Rognac in early July. The previous year, he participated in reinforcement missions in the Aude department, shuttling fresh personnel to the field and bringing back those who needed rest.
Currently, five volunteer firefighters working for Orange in Bouches-du-Rhône benefit from this agreement. The remuneration of personnel is maintained during their operational activity or training periods, without recourse to subrogation, allowing them to receive this allowance in addition to their usual salary.
