The strike by civil defense volunteers lasted for about three weeks, during which they suspended their duties in Lebanon at the height of the fire and disaster season, after years of repeatedly shouting for attention from successive governments, without any response to their demands. They found themselves lacking the most basic components for their resilience, following the freezing of their stabilization decision that has been pending for eight years, and the neglect of officials regarding their logistical equipment, which consists of outdated tools no longer fit for use, and centers left to their fate without rent payments or electrical supply. This has led to a shortage of allocated fuel funds for their vehicles, which require thorough maintenance, in addition to their budget being based on the 12-month rule, which is insufficient for their needs due to the lack of a public budget. In this context, sources from the Interior and Municipalities Ministry confirmed to "Al-Modon" that the 2022 budget project included acceptable allocations for the civil defense, including the costs for stabilizing the volunteers.
### A Series of Problems
Regarding the nature of the crisis plaguing the civil defense agency, "Al-Modon" conducted a special interview with its General Director, Brigadier General Raymond Khattar, who stated that "the crisis Lebanon is experiencing has weighed heavily on the General Directorate of Civil Defense, like other official administrations and public sector facilities." He pointed out that the main issue faced by the agency was the lack of insurance for volunteers and vehicles; however, a resolution has been reached thanks to a commendable initiative that will be announced once all its elements are in place, following the failure of bids due to "dollar inflation." He added that "the volunteers have reconsidered their decision to stop working due to the crisis of their insurance suspension and in solidarity with their fellow volunteer from the Hamana center, who was detained pending investigation following the Dahar al-Baydar incident, which resulted in three fatalities and several injuries in mid-June." This decision came after the agency informed them on July 1 of the current year about the resumption of coverage for civil defense personnel against workplace accidents and for the vehicles belonging to the agency (mandatory and third-party), effective from June 30, 2022, for a full year. This reassured the personnel, leading them to resume their assigned tasks.
### Continued Challenges
Khattar mentioned that "this does not negate the fact that there are several other problems we continue to face, the most prominent being the lack of equipment and supplies. The vehicles have also become outdated and require continuous maintenance." He added, "Despite everything, since the beginning of the crisis until now, we have maintained the motto (at all times, we are with you) to affirm our commitment to fulfilling our national and humanitarian mission, regardless of the severe circumstances that directly affect us. However, we have never hesitated to respond to emergency calls, even in the darkest times. Despite these hardships, we have not witnessed a decrease in the performance of civil defense personnel; on the contrary, they are undergoing intensive training by French experts and other foreign trainers. Efforts are ongoing to enhance their capabilities in various areas related to their assigned tasks."
### Stabilization Approaches
Regarding the stabilization of volunteers, numbering 8,589, including 483 already stabilized, the General Director of Civil Defense pointed out that "since Minister of Interior and Municipalities Judge Bassam Mawlawi took office, he has committed to implementing the law concerning the stabilization of volunteers and executing its application decree. To fulfill this promise, he formed a joint core committee to conduct a restricted competition for civil defense volunteers to fill vacant operational positions from among volunteers who had been in active service for at least three years prior to the issuance of the law, i.e., before May 8, 2014. We are currently awaiting the scheduling of the sports, written, medical, and practical competitions." He explained that "the competition for those who have volunteered in civil defense for years is conducted in accordance with Law No. 289 issued on April 30, 2014, which relates to the amendment of Legislative Decree No. 50 dated August 5, 1967 (Civil Defense Law and Organization)."
### Salary Adjustments
As for salary corrections, Khattar noted that "employees are still receiving their salaries according to schedules No. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 of Law No. 46 dated August 21, 2017 (raising the minimum wage in public administrations). The salary varies for each employee according to their functional classification (category, rank, degree). During the current economic crisis, temporary social assistance has been granted to employees according to Decree No. 8837 dated February 22, 2022, and its amendments, which mandate that employees attend work at least three days a week. The value of the assistance is half the base salary for each employee. Regarding the insurance file, we have previously stated that the problem has been resolved for a full year," confirming that "we are in constant communication with Minister Mawlawi, who has made significant efforts since taking office to support the General Directorate of Civil Defense and to ensure that volunteers receive their legitimate rights. It is worth noting his clear responsiveness to the civil defense needs within the available resources."
### Equipment Supply Plan
Concerning the plan to secure necessary equipment to improve and facilitate civil defense tasks, Khattar cited a statement released by the Association of Lebanese Industrialists "due to the exceptional efforts made by civil defense personnel to extinguish the massive fire that broke out in the Qubalan carpet factory in Zefta/Nabatieh, which stated that equipping the civil defense with modern equipment specialized in unconventional fires is among the priorities and essentials that must be worked on," confirming that "this subject will be at the top of the association's priorities in the upcoming phase." He revealed that "many European and friendly foreign countries are working to provide support to civil defense, foremost among them France, which contributed to the establishment of two firefighting training centers in enclosed areas, one in al-Tahwita and the other in Burj al-Muluk in Nabatieh. Additionally, we signed a memorandum of understanding with the 'Roads for Life' Association to benefit civil defense personnel from a set of specialized and advanced training programs in providing first aid in the event of any traffic accidents, covering various cases (CPR, burns, bleeding, fractures...), and we are cooperating with the association in future projects to secure support for civil defense centers."
