Brussels fire stations operate at 30% staffing as strike enters third day
Brussels fire stations operated with about 30% of their normal staffing on Thursday as a strike over personnel and equipment shortages entered its third day, while the regional government proposed new recruitment and investment.
In 30 seconds
- BRUZZ reported that Brussels fire stations operated at about 30% of normal staffing on Thursday.
- Only 25% of planned operational resources were available during part of Thursday, according to a separate BRUZZ report.
- The unions counted 38 firefighters on duty against a planned 172.
- Medical-response capacity stood near 70%, supported largely by reinforcements from outside Brussels.
Updated 23 July 2026, 22:30 CEST — . Brussels fire stations operated with about 30% of their normal staffing on Thursday as firefighters continued a strike for a third day, reported. The disruption left the capital’s fire and emergency service unable to guarantee its usual level of coverage.
BRUZZ reported separately that only 25% of the normally planned operational resources were available during part of Thursday. The unions counted 38 firefighters on duty against a planned complement of 172. These figures measure different aspects of the service—station staffing and deployable resources—but both show severe under-capacity.
Brussels Fire Brigade spokesperson Walter Derieuw had already warned on Wednesday that continuity could no longer be assured when operational availability stood near 30%, according to BRUZZ. Available crews were being reserved for the most urgent incidents. Medical-response capacity was higher on Thursday, at about 70%, largely because services from outside Brussels provided reinforcement, BRUZZ reported.
The joint union front began the action on , 21 July. According to The Brussels Times, the unions accuse the Fire and Emergency Medical Aid Service, known in Dutch as DBDMH and in French as SIAMU, of chronic understaffing and underfunding. Staff representatives also object to reductions in personnel and emergency vehicles and to compulsory transfers imposed without consultation, BRUZZ reported.
Brussels Minister-President Boris Dilliès convened an emergency regional cabinet meeting on Thursday. The government approved a plan to recruit 132 employees by the end of 2027, create a dedicated career framework for ambulance personnel and invest €10 million in the service, The Brussels Times reported. The unions nevertheless continued the strike, saying the proposals required firm implementation guarantees.
The dispute sets the right to industrial action against the requirement to maintain a life-saving public service. Firefighters’ representatives say the action is intended to defend a service weakened by long-term staffing pressure. The regional government says its recruitment and investment package addresses that pressure despite Brussels’ tight budget.
Where this is happening
View on map Brussels →For residents, the immediate consequence is reduced resilience: fewer simultaneous crews leave less room to absorb several serious incidents at once. No specific casualty or failed intervention had been attributed to the reduced capacity by the cited reports as of Thursday evening. Further talks between the government, service management and unions will determine whether staffing begins to recover or the disruption continues.
What to do
Brussels residents and workers should continue using the normal emergency number for genuine fires, rescues or urgent medical situations, but should be aware that simultaneous incidents may stretch available crews. Do not delay an emergency call because of the strike. Medical-response coverage was reported near 70%, while firefighting resources were much more limited. Employers, schools, venues and building managers should recheck evacuation procedures and keep access routes clear. The main date to monitor is the end-of-2027 recruitment target; in the immediate term, watch for union decisions on whether government guarantees are sufficient to end the action.
Impact
Regional — The disruption affects all 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, with available crews prioritised for the most urgent incidents.
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Voices & reactions
What the main actors are doing
Reported positions, summarised — not direct quotationsBrussels fire-service unions
The joint union front says chronic staffing shortages, reduced operational vehicles and imposed transfers have weakened the service. Its representatives demand firm, enforceable guarantees before ending the strike and frame the action as an effort to protect firefighters and the public service.
Brussels-Capital Government
The regional government says its package of 132 recruitments, a dedicated framework for ambulance personnel and €10 million in investment responds to the workforce’s concerns while recognising the severe constraints on Brussels’ public finances.
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How this story developed
2 reports on this subject — earliest first. You are reading the highlighted entry.
- Brussels fire brigade operates at just 22% capacity on fourth day of strike
- Brussels fire stations operate at 30% staffing as strike enters third day· You are here
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