A relatively small country with great diversity: the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg not only combines the languages of Luxembourgish, German and French, but also the culinary, cultural and economic influences of its European neighbours and beyond. With so much diversity, exchange and cooperation are also part of everyday working life. Perhaps this is why an organisational feat that is exemplary in its consistency and determination has been achieved here: with the launch of the Corps Grand-Ducal d'Incendie et de Secours (CGDIS) in 2018, municipally organised fire brigades, state-organised rescue services, the Luxembourg City Fire Brigade, the airport fire brigade and the emergency medical service were brought together under one roof. The fact that this restructuring not only worked on paper but can now be considered a success is the achievement of many dedicated people – both in management and at the grassroots level.

From heterogeneous structures to a uniform standard

In the mosaic of responsibilities within the CGDIS, different structures hampered efficiency. "Due to the distribution of competences and responsibilities, procurement was regulated differently. Of course, both the local authorities and the central government were subject to public procurement regulations, but in the fire service, the local authorities were largely free to decide what to purchase. As a result, there was a heterogeneous situation in terms of emergency vehicles, opinions and methods, with all the associated disadvantages," recalls Christian Schmitz, Head of Fleet & Logistics at CGDIS and part of the founding team at the time.