Paris Fire Brigade
The Paris Fire Brigade (French: "Brigade des sapeurs-pompiers de Paris", BSPP) is a French Army unit which serves as the primary fire and rescue service for Paris, the city's inner suburbs and certain sites of national strategic importance. The brigade's main area of responsibility is the City of Paris and the surrounding "départements" of Seine-Saint-Denis, Val-de-Marne, and Hauts-de-Seine (the "petite couronne"). It also serves the Centre Spatial Guyanais in Kourou, the DGA Military Rocket Test Centre in Biscarosse, and the Lacq gas field. As with the other fire  services of France, the brigade provides technical rescue, search and rescue and fire prevention services, and is one of the providers of emergency medical services. The brigade is one of two fire services in France that is part of the armed forces, with the other being the Marseille Naval Fire Battalion (BMPM). It is a unit of the French Army's Engineering Arm ("l'arme du génie") and the firefighters are therefore sappers ("sapeurs", thus "sapeurs-pompiers"). With 8,550 firefighters, it is the largest fire service in Europe and the third largest urban fire service in the world, after the Tokyo  Fire Department and New York City Fire Department. Its motto is ""Save or Perish"" (French ""Sauver ou périr""). History. Founded in 1793 as the "Corps des gardes-pompes de la ville de Paris" and following the 23-hour Austrian Embassy Fire in 1810 became a military organisation by imperial decree of Emperor Napoléon. On 18 September 1811, it became the "Bataillon de sapeurs-pompiers de Paris" and was expanded to the "Régiment de sapeurs-pompiers de Paris" in 1867. On 1 March 1967 became the "Brigade des sapeurs-pompiers de Paris". Selection and training. The operational personnel ("hommes du rang  i.e. other ranks or rank and file) are usually engaged for five years. They must have French nationality, be between 18 and 25 years old, have a clean criminal record and have at least a vocational training CAP" certificate. The selection is three days long, with sports tests, psychomotor tests, medical examination, etc. Training takes place in the Training Group ("Groupement d'instruction", GI), at the fort of Villeneuve-Saint-Georges. The first period lasts two months, with the first aid and first responder training, and basic military instruction (including shooting). They then undertake practical training of four months in an  operational fire company ("compagnie d'incendie"); this includes taking part in personal assistance and utility safety operations. The last stage of training is a further two months at the Training Group. Upon completing training, the firefighter joins a fire company. Resources. The BSPP consists of 8,550 personnel with 81 stations and facilities who conduct 1200 operations daily. Organisation. The brigade is commanded by a Brigade General as part of the French Army's engineering arm. The brigade commander directly controls the Information and Public Relations Bureau, and who is assisted a Colonel-Adjutant, a General Council called a Cabinet and a  Chief of Staff who controls the following Bureaus: and three Assistant Chiefs of Staff: Operational staff are divided into three geographic groups, as well as a training group and a services group. The geographic groups are: Each of the geographic groups consists of 8 fire companies and a few special units that are not part of a company (including ambulance units). Each company in turn consists of 2-4 fire stations. First fire group ("Premier groupement d'incendie"). The First fire group of the Paris Fire Brigade covers northeast Paris and Seine-Saint-Denis and is based in the 18th arrondissement  of Paris. It consists of the following companies: Additional units include: Second fire group ("Deuxième groupement d'incendie"). The Second Fire Group of the Paris Fire Brigade covers Southeast Paris and Val-de-Marne and is based in the 13th arrondissement of Paris. It consists of the following companies: Additional units include: Third fire group ("Troisième groupement d'incendie"). The Third Fire Group of the Paris Fire Brigade covers Western Paris and Hauts-de-Seine and is based in Courbevoie, Hauts-de-Seine. It consists of the following companies: Additional units include: Training Group ("Groupement d'instruction"). The Training Group of the Paris  Fire Brigade provides education and training to all Paris firefighters. It consists of the following: Special services. Controlled by Headquarters Frequency of operations. The BSPP performs about 1200 interventions per day. During 2001: There are 6.16 million inhabitants in the BSPP zone (1999). This represents: Ceremonial duties. Traditionally, the Paris Fire Brigade parades twice during the Bastille Day military parade: once on foot, and a second time with its vehicles. During the parade members are armed due to their membership in the armed forces. Evening dance parties are held at fire stations on (or near to) Bastille Day. These are  known as a "Bal des pompiers" (firefighters' ball).