Selfie with a firefighter's helmet on his head. Various photos show him, hose in hand (in civilian clothes and without PPE), dousing a fire that appears to be gone. But he's there, with his colleague from Selargius, Gigi Concu. Posted on Facebook, the images posted by Monserrato mayor Tomaso Locci sparked intense controversy. They were linked to the massive fire that broke out yesterday, partly in his territory, but mostly in Selargius: a blaze that devastated one hundred hectares and threatened to claim lives among humans and animals and destroy homes and buildings.
Cruel propaganda: this, in short, is how many have labeled the publication of the photos. Locci responds, indignantly: "Instead, we saved lives. I risked my own to save others, both human and animal. And no one would let me do it: like other radical chic mayors, I could have just sat at a table. Instead, we went to the front lines. We lent a hand: I was one of many."
The accusation: "Frolics"
There are 67 "incriminating" photos. There's the Canadair, the helicopters, the firefighters. And two "firefighter mayors": this is how Locci describes himself and Concu. He's wearing a polo shirt, his colleague from Selargius a white shirt. Both were holding hoses, neither wearing protective gear. Their reactions? Here are a few, to give you an idea of the tenor: "Tackling fires is a serious matter, venturing out in shoes without even the appropriate PPE and serious training can be very dangerous. Taking selfies with the fire out, wasting water and perhaps even holding up a vehicle, is simply ridiculous." Or: " Yes, of course, because now the firefighters need his help and, lo and behold, he even finds time to have his picture taken." And again, the opinion of the son and brother of a firefighter: "The values of the National Fire Brigade Corps are very distant from these antics. These are the values of people who, often due to negligence or political speculation in caring for their own land, risk their lives, in silence, without the need for public attention or ostentation. They certainly aren't influenced by this vulgar propaganda and, above all, they have enormous respect, solidarity, and sincere sorrow for those who suffer damage from fires. Be it the land, people, animals, or their property. I grew up watching my father return home after hours, days, and nights of fighting fires. And I never saw him act like a clown." The comments are all like this.
Locci's reply
"The selfies? Taken at the end. Maybe people don't realize that these guys, the firefighters, the volunteers, everyone, are risking their lives at every moment. I understood it there, I saw it firsthand. And I wanted to honor them. When it was all over." Locci is angry after reading the comments under his post. And he still seems full of adrenaline after the experience: "I don't know if many of those writing would have done the same. I was there because my intervention was requested: there were those who didn't want to leave their homes, but thanks to the intervention of us mayors—because there are those who recognize us as authorities, fortunately—we managed to convince some elderly people to leave. And it went well for them and for the animals: there were dogs, cats, horses, donkeys. All saved."
But what about the firefighter-posed photos? "At a certain point, the team couldn't take it. The guys were inside a house, the fire was starting again. I grabbed the hose and intervened. My eyes were burning, we had no water to drink. I did it instinctively." In short: "We saved lives. And we risked our own." Two incidents: "There were some gas cylinders in a house. The commander, whom I thank along with all his men, made us move away immediately: one exploded and the pieces, even though we were behind a car, reached us." The second: "The Canadair made a drop. We moved, it almost missed us. And if it had been a helicopter, there would have been dozens of kilos of water falling on you: they'd kill you." The mayor continues: "I was there, taking action. Others who were there, even local residents who are now criticizing me, didn't lift a finger. They're the ones who should be ashamed. Didn't I have the right shoes? Of course, it was an emergency and I intervened with what I had on me."
Is that the end of it? That's not necessarily the case; in fact, "I'm thinking of filing a complaint," the mayor of Monserrato announces.