Anyone between the ages of 16 and 55 who would like to take a more active approach to serving their local community can sign up to become a sapeur-pompier volontaire, or volunteer firefighter in France. For new residents in their mid-life who have settled into French life and are looking for meaningful ways to integrate and give back, this offers a particularly rewarding opportunity. The role of a volunteer is not limited to fighting fires, however – there’s a whole range of activities covered by the sapeurs-pompiers that serve society at large.
Why Choose to Volunteer?
Whether you’ve been welcomed with arms flung open wide or your neighbours have let you in with a more discreet, slower approach, you might feel that it would be nice to give something back to say thanks. And what better way than to be available for them when they really need it most?
The idea of paying back his community for their kindness was certainly what appealed to Glyn, who moved from Scarborough to his home near Nontron (Dordogne) over 20 years ago. The light bulb moment came as he was digging out a pool for the local fire station chief, who suggested that he should sign up – he jumped in, head first. “I didn’t ever think I’d ever be doing this,” says Glyn, “but I’m always up for trying new experiences (like moving to France for example!) and I wanted to give something back; we’ve had such a warm welcome here.”
For Katie, a 19-year-old medical student who moved to the Charente-Maritime when she was still a child, the motivation came from watching firefighters saving people’s lives in the news. “I thought they were so heroic,” says Katie. “And as I looked into it a little more, I realised that you don’t have to be a professional, full-time firefighter to make a difference. I knew I wanted to be a volunteer immediately.”
Do You Need Fluent French?
Obviously, the first question on any English-speaker’s mind is: “Do I need fluent French?” The good news is that speaking English is probably more of an advantage than a hindrance where the pompiers are concerned. With a growing population of anglophones in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, there are inevitably more accidents and emergencies that require pompier intervention in English. Someone who can remove the extra stress of the language barrier for a person in distress could only be an asset.
“Obviously you need a basic level of French,” admits Glyn. “Mine’s not too bad, but I did worry, as on the field not understanding a directive could mean the difference between life and death! You learn very quickly, though, thanks to the people at the caserne (station). If anything, it’s a great way to expand your vocabulary…”
Fitness Requirements: More Flexible Than You Think
The next question that might pop up for aspiring volunteers is how physically fit they need to be. After a medical exam and some blood tests, volunteers are of course required to pass a few basic fitness tests, but tasks can be adapted to make room for everyone. “If you have asthma, you obviously won’t be sent in to fight a fire,” explains Glyn, “but that doesn’t mean that you can’t help out on other calls.”
The idea is that the more volunteers there are, the less pressure there will be on the professionals and the other volunteers: “The more the merrier! The more sapeurs-pompiers volontaires there are signed up, the better we can share the roster.”
The Time Commitment
In effect, the roster is divided up between teams of volunteers and professionals, who are then on call nights and weekends for their designated weeks. Once a month the volunteers come in to be on call together at the caserne, and to practice their skills, too. It sounds like a lot, but it’s not: “All that it means is that you can’t travel too far from your caserne that week. But it’s so little, it’s no problem at all, and you can easily tell your team if you’re not available at certain times,” explains Glyn.
Volunteers are usually signed up for five years at a time, at which time they can step down from their functions or sign up for another five years.
What You’ll Actually Do
The tasks covered by the sapeurs-pompiers volontaires are many and varied: chimney fires, forest fires, road accidents and general first aid and ambulance interventions. Volunteers can train to learn more specialised skills, but that also depends on the caserne they are attached to, and the equipment on hand. But before anyone thinks they’ll be thrown into a blazing fire on the first day, there is of course a good amount of training that happens before any sort of live action.
Training: What to Expect
“My training lasted about two weeks,” explains Samuel, a 17-year-old sapeur-pompier volontaire, originally from the UK, who has lived in Champagne-Mouton, Charente, since he was a toddler. “But that’s because I had already done three years as a ‘jeune sapeur pompier’ before that. I signed up when I was 14, and as well as the initial training, I have been training as part of the process every Saturday, more or less.”
Those who have not been through the jeune sapeur-pompier training programme and haven’t passed their brevet exam need to undergo a longer training process. This is spread out over several weeks and includes some financial compensation for anyone taking time off work to complete it. All of the basics are covered during these sessions and drills, which take place in classrooms and at the station, including extensive first aid training, how to receive commands, how to take care of the equipment, how to tackle a fire and even how to cut someone out of a wrecked car. Drills also continue throughout the year to keep skills sharp and up to date.
Financial Compensation
In 2025, as training progresses and experience is acquired, sapeurs-pompiers volontaires can receive promotions that will give them more responsibilities and increase the small financial indemnity that is provided for volunteers. A new sapeur will receive somewhere around €8.61/hour, but then a caporal will get more, a sous-officier even more and an officier can hope for €12.96/hour.
The Real Reward: Community and Belonging
“I’m not doing it for the money, or for the stripes, though,” says Glyn. In fact, what shines through more than anything when listening to him, as well as Katie and Samuel, is how it has strengthened their sense of belonging. “It’s a great feeling, helping those around me,” says Glyn, who is currently going through the French naturalisation process, and fully intends to be a volunteer until the age of retirement, at 55. “I have met so many great friends at the caserne.”
Samuel has also applied for French nationality, as he will need it to become a professional pompier. “This is definitely what I want to do as a career,” he says, enthusiastically. “What I really want is to pass the ‘concours‘ to become part of the Pompiers de Paris, and I’ll need to be naturalised for that first. I would probably have done it anyway, as I’ve been here for 14 years and I’m probably more French than English, but this is an extra motivation.”
Although Katie doesn’t intend to make firefighting her career, she has also found her community as a sapeur-pompier volontaire: “I love getting involved with helping people locally. A lot of the people we visit are elderly, and don’t have much human interaction. Not to mention that often, if we hadn’t been so close and been able to get to them so quickly, they might not have survived. We have a huge impact on people’s lives.”
How to Apply: Taking the First Step
If you’re ready to explore becoming a sapeur-pompier volontaire, the process is refreshingly straightforward. Your first step is to contact your local fire station (caserne) directly. While some départements have online application portals through their SDIS (Service Départemental d’Incendie et de Secours) websites, the most effective approach is often to visit or phone your nearest caserne in person – it shows commitment and allows you to meet the team who will become your colleagues.
You’ll need to provide basic documentation: proof of identity, proof of address, and a CV outlining any relevant skills or experience (though previous firefighting experience certainly isn’t required). The medical exam and fitness tests come next, along with a background check. The entire process from initial contact to starting training typically takes several months, though this can vary depending on the station’s current needs and training schedule availability.
Regional Variations Across France
While the fundamental structure of the sapeur-pompier volontaire system remains consistent across France, there are some regional differences worth noting. The SDIS in each département operates with a degree of autonomy, which means training schedules, equipment availability, and even the frequency of call-outs can vary considerably.
Rural départements, particularly in regions like Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Occitanie, and parts of central France, often have a higher proportion of volunteers compared to professionals, and may offer more diverse experiences including agricultural fires and remote rescue operations. Urban and suburban areas, meanwhile, tend to have more structured rosters and may focus more heavily on road accidents and medical emergencies.
Some départements are particularly proactive in recruiting English-speaking volunteers due to large anglophone populations – areas of Dordogne, Charente, Lot-et-Garonne, and parts of Brittany and Normandy actively welcome them. It’s worth researching your local SDIS website to understand the specific needs of your area.
Ready to Make a Difference?
If these stories have inspired you to consider becoming a sapeur-pompier volontaire, why not take that first step today? Locate your nearest caserne – a quick online search for “caserne pompiers” plus your commune name will point you in the right direction – and make contact. Most stations welcome enquiries and are happy to show interested candidates around and answer questions.
You’ll find that becoming a volunteer firefighter offers something rare: a genuine way to integrate into French society at its heart, while making a tangible difference to the lives of those around you. For people who have made France their home, it’s an opportunity to move from being welcomed to being essential – and to forge friendships and a sense of belonging that money simply can’t buy.
The original article was written for Living Magazine by Jessica Knipe and has been updated for Savvy France.