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“I am leaving with the satisfaction of having given my very best to this department and to this territory. ” On Friday, September 11, Lieutenant Christophe Laurens bid farewell to the Saint-Barthélemy Territorial Fire and Rescue Service (STIS), which he had led for the past eight years. “Over these eight years, I’ve been deeply committed to this territory,” he said. “I’ve come to know it, I’ve come to appreciate it, and above all, I’ve made friends here. I’m leaving with many memories, great respect for those I’ve worked with, and a genuine affection for this territory and the people I’ve met here.”
Significant Progress
Lieutenant Laurens arrived in Saint-Barthélemy in 2018. Recruited by Bruno Magras, his mission was to organize, develop, and modernize the Territorial Fire and Rescue Service. “President Bruno Magras placed his trust in me, and I would like to sincerely thank him for that. In eight years, we’ve accomplished a great deal. We’ve built a new fire station, developed policy documents, replaced our fleet of vehicles, created specialized teams, and recruited both professional and volunteer firefighters. ” The officer also highlighted efforts in prevention, particularly in the island’s public-facing facilities, as well as the development of training programs for firefighters. He also mentioned the creation of specialized teams, “which have become indispensable,” he noted. These include the water rescue team, the shipboard response team (trained by the Marseille Maritime Firefighters Battalion), the Search and Rescue Support Unit (USAR, which has proven its usefulness and effectiveness, particularly during the accident at the Sidem water treatment plant), and the drone piloting unit.
More Complex Operations
For his farewell ceremony, Lieutenant Laurens had envisioned a simple gathering, devoid of any formality. He therefore invited his guests to the large lounge at the Saint-Jean fire station. Everyone attended. From elected officials to department heads of the Collectivité, not to mention, of course, the firefighters and administrative staff of the STIS. Not to mention representatives from the National Society for Sea Rescue and the territorial police. Senator Micheline Jacques and then Territorial Council President Xavier Lédée took turns praising the officer’s dedication and work.
Christophe Laurens credits the changes that have taken place during his eight years at the helm of the STIS to the man who served as his second-in-command for seven years, Lieutenant Thomas Charmillon, who left in early 2026 to join the SDIS in La Rochelle. “Over the past eight years, the number of incidents has steadily increased,” notes Lieutenant Laurens. “They have also become more complex, with new risks associated with household equipment. “My greatest source of pride is that we have never had a casualty among our ranks. We must never forget that behind every call, there are men and women taking risks to protect others.”
“An Exceptional Human Journey”
Improvements in the department’s organization, the addition of new equipment and vehicles—the officer points out that none of this would have been possible without funding from the local government. But all the changes made over the past several years have proven essential. “Today, given the increase in population and the number of calls, we need to have about ten firefighters on duty every day,” says Lieutenant Laurens. “In 2018, we had about thirty professionals and volunteers. In 2026, there will be about fifty of us.” This is an opportunity to reiterate—as he has done in each of his Sainte-Barbe speeches—that human resources remain the most critical area for improvement. Because without a sufficient number of firefighters, the gleaming fire station in Saint-Jean risks looking like an empty shell. Nevertheless, Christophe Laurens affirms: “The emergency service is effective and meets the island’s needs. The fire station is one of the most beautiful in the Caribbean. It should help improve regional collaboration. There is much room for growth.”
Looking back on his years in Saint-Barthélemy, “where I didn’t come just for the postcard views,” he notes, Lieutenant Laurens recalls “an exceptional human experience.” After thanking everyone with whom he has had the opportunity to work over the years, Lieutenant Laurens addresses a few words to his future successor, who has not yet been named. “Above all, I hope they take the time to get to know the men and women who keep this department running, to listen, to observe, to anticipate, (…) to continue the work that has been started but also to bring their own vision to it. The success of whoever succeeds me will, above all, be the success of the department and of those we are tasked with protecting.”
Christophe Laurens has left for Sète, where he will serve as head of the prevention office and chief group officer at the main rescue center for Sète and the Thau Basin—an area with a population of nearly 140,000. There is no doubt that he will bring the same professionalism to this role as he did in Saint-Barthélemy.
