A report into the quality of food distributed to battling firefighters during the worst of the summer’s wildfires has confirmed not only that there were “deficiencies” in the types of meals supplied but that there are signs of “documentation irregularities” in the way fire stations present their expenditure on food .
The ministry of internal administration has thus suspended its reimbursement of 12 corporations while the suspicions are further investigated, reports TSF radio this morning.
The suspension will be in place for the next 20 days, said the station.
Complaints about poor quality food – and not enough of it – came in August when thousands of exhausted firefighters were combatting monster fires raging throughout the centre and north of the country.
The ANPC (Civil Protection Authority which came under so much flak for its coordination of firefighting response) opened an inquiry as a result, concentrating on the quality of meals distributed during 17 forest fires.
Says TSF, shortcomings were, in the main, “occasional and limited”. “The great majority of operations did not have this problem with food, but in the process signs of irregularities were detected in the documentation relating to the provision of food”.
“Clarification” will now be sought from the 12 fire stations concerned, “to establish the conditions and contours in which they presented their expenses for reimbursement”.
TSF added that the ministry “also intends to review the financial directive that provides for the sharing of firefighters’ expenses, especially with regard to reimbursing food expenditure”.
