Firefighters are ranked as one of the most trustworthy professions across all global regions (GFK Verein, 2015). Therefore, firefighters have the potential to do something more for their communities than firefighting. Being aware of this, some firefighters have already used, with very successful results, their trustworthy position to promote fire safety among the most vulnerable groups.
As an example you can watch "The story of Zouhair" here: https://www.en.firefightersplus.eu/#h.p_fKLHPivMlMmM
This proves that something is changing in the Fire and Rescue Services. Firefighters are becoming aware of their potential to do something more for their communities than firefighting. However, a lot more can be done if firefighters can access high quality training on how to use their position as role models to promote fire safety among the most vulnerable groups.
In this context, we have developed the first online platform (www.firefightersplus.eu) for firefighters on how to use their position as role models to promote fire safety among the most vulnerable groups including the following sections:
- GET INSPIRED with videos of the actions to promote fire safety among the most vulnerable groups carried out during the project by firefighters from several EU countries.
- ONLINE COURSE on how firefighters can make the most of their position as Role Models to promote fire safety among the most vulnerable groups.
- TOOLS to plan, implement, evaluate and disseminate the results of actions to promote fire safety among the most vulnerable groups.
The Firefighters Plus project is an initiative of Frederiksborg Fire & Rescue Service (Denmark) in collaboration with Northumberland Fire & Rescue Service (UK), Provincial Headquarters of State Fire Service in Poznan (Poland), Instituut Fysieke Veiligheid (The Netherlands), Alcala de Guadaira Fire & Rescue Service (Spain), Centrul de Resurse pentru Diversitate Etnoculturală (Romania) and Stowarzyszenie WIOSNA (Poland). The Firefighters Plus project has been co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.
Follow the link if you want to learn more about this initiative: https://www.firefightersplus.eu/