Backstage

Providence and collaboration: firefighters and GASP protect our heritage

Situational exercise at Les Franciscaines

While the fire at Notre-Dame de Paris in 2019 brutally revived public awareness of the vulnerability of our cultural heritage, the international community had already taken up the issue in 1996, with the creation of the Blue Shield, in order to meet these protection challenges in emergency situations. Calvados, and the Côte Fleurie in particular, are overflowing with valuable heritage assets that need to be protected, and may sometimes require emergency assistance in the event of a disaster.

When it comes to intervention, the firefighters of the Service Départemental d'Incendie et de Secours (SDIS) du Calvados are on the front line. While the vast majority of their actions involve saving civilian lives, another part of their mission is to protect property. We often talk about the "value of the saved", but we forget to mention that the notion of "saved" also refers to the "value of the property". workswhich are sometimes said to be priceless.

To anticipate risks as effectively as possible, the fire department works in collaboration with cultural institutions, but also with the Groupe d'Aide en cas de Sinistre Patrimonial (GASP)created in 2017, which aims to organize and provide assistance to heritage institutions, notably through the Plan de sauvegarde des biens culturels, commonly known as the PSBC. This document provides technical support and facilitates rescue operations, in particular for the evacuation of works in the event of a disaster.

On Monday July 22, firefighters from the Calvados SDIS and the GASP gathered at the Franciscaines for a simulation exercise. Fire, flood... What are the procedures in the event of a serious and sudden incident? How do you act quickly and effectively? Are there any works to be saved first? These were the questions posed during this morning's training session.

Knowledge is the key to successful interventions. The teams work hard beforehand to get to know each other, particularly with the team at the Musée des Franciscaines, where a real spirit of cooperation has developed to ensure maximum efficiency. In addition, handling and coordination exercises enable the first-aid workers to get to grips with the site, and to identify the risks and disaster scenarios most likely to occur. These exercises are essential for identifying areas for improvement and preparing for future exercises.