A Compulsory Fire Service is a mandatory service for the localfire departments in Switzerland in general and in Austria and Germany in exceptional cases as well. Private individuals can be compelled to participate in such a fire service in specific circumstances. In Singapore conscripts are deployed as fire fighters when serving in the Singapore Civil Defence Force. In Switzerland this mandatory fire service is common and required in most regions. In Austria and Germany Compulsory Fire Services only exist when a Volunteer Fire Department cannot be pursued due to a lack of personnel or other unavailability, meaning that fire protection cannot be guaranteed 24/7. All appropriate persons can be drafted to the compulsory fire service if they are needed.
any work or service exacted in cases of emergency, that is to say, in the event of war, of a calamity or threatened calamity, such as fire, flood, famine, earthquake, violent epidemic or epizootic diseases, invasion by: animal, insect or vegetable pests, and in general any circumstance that would endanger the existence or the well-being of the whole or part of the population;
minor communal services of a kind which, being performed by the members of the community in the direct interest of the said community, can therefore be considered as normal civic obligations incumbent upon the members of the community, provided that the members of the community or their direct representatives shall have the right to be consulted in regard to the need for such services.
Austria
In history, a very high number of the Austrian-Hungarianfire services were compulsory fire brigades and the basis for the present-day volunteer fire departments in Austria. In theory, drafts for the local fire services are feasible, but not executed since centuries. The legislation differs from state to state:
Burgenland: legal basis for drafts abolished in 2019
Carinthia: drafts for a so called "fire protection service" is possible
Lower Austria: legal basis for drafts abolished in 2000
Salzburg: drafts for fire services are legal, if no professional or volunteer fire service exists or has insufficient manpower
Styria: legal basis for drafts in state legislation
Tyrol: municipal councils can order conscription for the fire service for male citizens between the age of 18 and 50, there exceptions for state and federal officials, members of transport and public utility companies and clerics of all confessions as well.
Upper Austria: legal basis for drafts abolished in 2015
Vienna: professional fire department, no drafts for fire service required
Vorarlberg: drafts for fire services is possible, if volunteers are short-handed. The mayor can draft only male citizens of the age between 18 and 60 of the municipality. Only the house owners can be drafted and younger citizens should be preferred to be drafted. There are several exceptions for state officials, soldiers, police officers and clerics as well.
Germany
Similar to the historical development in Austria, compulsory fire services are the precursors of the volunteer fire brigades in Germany. Depending on the state's legislation, drafts are executed in a few municipals. These municipal fire brigades drafted conscript fire fighters:
In Switzerland, it is common for compulsory fire service duty to be required of both men and women, whether or not they are Swiss. Most fire services in Switzerland are so called Militia Fire Brigades. Militia firefighters normally pursue other professions, and have active duty only during exercises and missions. In the case of an emergency, the first response is completed by a group of specially-trained police officers. The militia fire brigade arrives as soon as possible. In special situations the fire brigade provides a standby service. Currently 95,000 men and women serve as firefighters in 1,500 fire brigades. Only 1,200 of them are professional firefighters, organised as plant fire brigades or a unit of a larger city.
Exceptions
Exceptions include for example, the canton of Zurich, and in all places where professional fire brigades exist. If a fire brigade cannot find enough volunteers, it can carry out forced recruitment. These drafts are not popular, because the recruited firefighters are generally less motivated. Anyone who rejects service must pay a fire service exemption tax.
