Active 1939–present Branch French Navy Size 2,400 | Country France Type Firemen | |
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Motto(s) Honneur, patrie, valeur, discipline | ||
The Marseille Naval Fire Battalion (French: Bataillon de marins-pompiers de Marseille, or BMPM), is the fire and rescue service for the city of Marseille.
Contents
The battalion is a branch of the French Navy (French: Marine nationale), and consists of fully military personnel, like the Paris Fire Brigade (a branch of the French Army), and PGHM (a branch of the French Gendarmerie).
Nearly half of all candidates fail the battalion's rigorous training program.
Mission
- Fire Suppression on land and at sea
- Emergency Ambulance
- Utility Safety- Gas leaks, etc.
- Personnel Assistance: Victims services, SAR, prehospital care
- Motor Vehicle Collision assistance
- Property protection
- Fire and Rescue Patrol, Reconnaissance and Scouting
- Animal Rescue
- Pollution control and response
- Alarm response
History
Formed by Royal Order on 14 August 1719 as the Marseille Arsenal Fire Battalion and its jurisdiction was expanded on 25 September 1816 to include the Ville de Marseille (City of Marseille). On 22 March 1838 its size was fixed as a battalion of five companies and on 14 December 1962, its jurisdiction was expanded to include the port of Marseille and the Marseille-Provence Marignane International Airport.
The battalion of Naval Fire Marseille was created by a decree dated 29 July 1939, following the 28 October 1938 fire of the New Galleries, located on the Canebière, which caused the death of 73 people .
Edouard Daladier, Prime Minister, observe the professionalism of the Toulon marine brigade and the quality of their equipment. He decides to entrust the security of Marseille to a military unit. The Decree-Law of 23 July 1939 is the "birth" of Marseille Naval Fire Battalion and begins with this:
"It's created a Marseille Marine Fire unit. This battalion and the services attached to it are controlled by a senior naval officer ... "
The Marseille Naval Fire Brigade has today a military status and is commanded by a vice-admiral.
Corporate organisation
The battalion is commanded by a naval Captain or Rear Admiral (currently Vice Admiral Charles-Henri Garié) as part of the Marseille garrison. He reports to the Minister of Defence, the Minister of the Interior and the Mayor of Marseille.