‘Looks like a behind’: Logo fires up Brussels firefighters

Brussels firefighters are all in a lather about the new logo proposed for the department. The logo incorporates yellow and red flames into a heart-shape.

The logo is meant to recall the official logo of the Capital-Region – an iris with the bloom in the shape of a heart. All regional departments and services are asked to bear a logo in the same spirit.

“This looks more like a behind than a fire department logo,” union man Eric Labourdette complained to Het Laatste Nieuws. “There’s no clear link to emergency services, to medical assistance or to fire-fighting. This has nothing to do with our work or our traditions. The staff is really angry about this.”

Illegal?

On top of that, Labourdette claims that the logo would not even be legal. “After the terrorist attacks of 22 March, it was decided that emergency services would all be required to wear ID badges. There is a specific logo on them – a helmet with two axes against a background of flames. We are legally required to wear that logo.”

The capital’s firefighters have protested in the streets three times this year already against proposed changes to salary levels and the bonus system. “This is more of the same,” lamented Labourdette, “except this time no one even asked us. The regional government seems to be making a habit of this.”

An emergency services spokesperson has assured firefighters that “there has not been a final decision made on the logo” and that “any new logo would of course be presented to the personnel before being implemented”.

Photo: The offending logo and the official logo of the Brussels Capital-Region