Munster. Prevention, security: the green brigade on all fronts this summer
At the Munster Green Brigade, there are four officers overseeing a vast territory stretching from the mountain ridges to Eguisheim. That's to say, you need eagle eyes!
From left to right, Emmanuel, head of the Munster Green Brigade, and Raphaël, his deputy. Photo Carole Depasse
Emmanuel and Raphaël, respectively station chief and deputy of the Munster Green Brigade, are not yet on edge, but tension is rising with the opening of the tourist season and the temperature rising.
Every summer, the challenges are the same: combating forest fires and the irresponsibility, even negligence, of tourists or locals on vacation. "The critical point during the summer is monitoring the areas around the five lakes under our authority. Bivouac fires (although prohibited by prefectural decree of December 18, 2023) and swimming are the most formidable threats."
Although they don't routinely issue fines, Emmanuel and Raphaël admit that they now have no tolerance for campfires. "The danger is very real and growing, even in the Vosges, which is not immune to the consequences of global warming." The penalty: a fine of 135 euros.
Raphaël gets annoyed when he talks about public behavior. "I don't want to generalize, but people's attitudes are changing. Basic respect, between people, has been declining for the past twenty years, and all age groups are affected. It's incomprehensible when you consider that we're here to ensure everyone's safety and well-being."
The ban on swimming in lakes is a sad illustration of this state of affairs. "On the surface, the water is oily and warm. Young people who dive in headfirst quickly descend into the icy layers of the lake, and then there's thermal shock."
Hydrocution, fainting , and death by drowning . "We think this danger is specific to the sea; we don't worry about a lake. Wrongly. At Schiessrothried, in the middle of a heatwave, there were bathers. We warned them of the danger, especially dissuaded them from boating or crossing the lake as a challenge, but what can you do? There are two of us, and when there are hundreds of people, we can't pull them all out of the water by the arm."
Under the authority of the town hall, the green brigade carries out various missions of prevention, awareness, observation and control such as the surveillance of forests and roads, compliance with hunting and fishing regulations, management of stray or injured animals, the fight against fly-tipping and the recording of construction violations.
To find out more, we recommend visiting the brigade-verte.fr website, where you will find a wealth of information, particularly about recruitment if this passionate profession appeals to you.
The Munster Green Brigade can be reached 7 days a week at 03 89 74 84 04 or at [email protected]
Les Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace
