Publié le 08/10/2026

IMA Group is partnering with Civil Protection to support the Volunteer Fire Department

Against the backdrop of increasingly frequent natural disasters, and on the occasion of the World Rescue and Protection Congress held in Annecy from September 30 to October 3, 2026, IMA Group and the General Directorate for Civil Security and Crisis Management (DGSCGC) signed a national agreement to support the involvement of volunteer firefighters within the Group.

This agreement sets forth commitments for IMA Group employees who serve as volunteer firefighters.
It provides for 15 days of authorized absence per year from work while maintaining employees’ pay levels.
The agreement allows, on an exceptional basis, for the combination of compensation related to employment at IMA with allowances paid by the Departmental Fire and Rescue Service for service as a volunteer firefighter.
This partnership is an extension of the IMA Group’s core business: as the leader in assistance services, IMA Group is there every day to support its clients and beneficiaries in emergency situations.

For more than forty-five years, IMA Group has been supporting people during moments that matter. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and are often the first point of contact for emergency services, particularly in our emergency-related activities. This commitment by the Group is therefore a natural extension of our work. Together with Civil Protection, we want to give our volunteer firefighters the resources they need to continue their service and encourage others to take the plunge.

David PINO

Chairman of IMA Group

Volunteers are now an absolutely essential operational resource for Civil Protection. During the exceptional wildfires of the summer of 2026, as well as during other recent major crises, our ability to mobilize a very large number of volunteer firefighters enabled us to cope with extraordinary situations. Supporting and developing this commitment is a collective responsibility that requires concrete action. Agreements signed with employers play a crucial role in this regard by ensuring volunteers are available when local communities need them most.

Julien MARION

Director General of Civil Protection and Crisis Management

Concrete commitments for Volunteer Firefighters

As extreme weather events intensify, the commitment of volunteer firefighters is essential. The signing of this agreement with the General Directorate for Civil Security and Crisis Management (DGSCGC) reflects the IMA Group’s commitment to recognizing and supporting the involvement of its employees who serve as volunteer firefighters, while ensuring that practices across the IMA Group’s entities are standardized. The agreement thus formalizes:

Authorization for 15 days of absence per year from work to perform duties as a volunteer firefighter;
Full pay from the IMA Group during these absences;
The exceptional combination of compensation received from IMA with allowances paid by the Departmental Fire and Rescue Service for interventions carried out as part of duties performed as a volunteer firefighter.

A partnership aligned with the IMA Group's business lines

Since 1981, the IMA Group has been providing daily support to its partners and their beneficiaries in emergency situations. As part of its day-to-day operations, the Group also interacts frequently with emergency services in the course of its emergency response missions. Furthermore, the commitment of volunteer firefighters draws on skills that are central to the assistance sector: the ability to respond in vulnerable situations, a sense of responsibility, teamwork, and responsiveness.

By signing this agreement with the DGSCGC, the IMA Group reaffirms its commitment to directly contributing to the continuity of emergency response services across the country, with the goal of obtaining the “National Partner Employer of the Fire Department” designation.