Volunteer Firefighter in Ille-et-Vilaine not Bound by Professional Secrecy, Court Rules
Saint-Malo, ille-et-Vilaine – A volunteer firefighter in Ille-et-Vilaine will not face charges for sharing a confidential intervention report, after a court in Saint-Malo ruled he was not legally bound by professional secrecy. The case, examined on Thursday, October 9, 2025, centered on whether the obligations of professional secrecy extend to volunteer firefighters in the same manner as they do to professional civil servants.
The incident stemmed from a rescue operation where firefighters from Pleurtuit responded to a call involving a Dinard resident following a night of heavy drinking. A volunteer adjutant from the responding team photographed and shared the intervention report within a Messenger group, leading the individual identified in the report to file a complaint alleging a breach of professional secrecy and bullying.
The prosecution argued that volunteer firefighters should be considered akin to civil servants and therefore subject to the same confidentiality rules. However, the defense successfully argued that, unlike those bound by professional secrecy, the firefighter had never taken an oath committing him to such confidentiality – either orally or in writing.
Judges ultimately sided with the defense,acquitting the firefighter “considering that he is not subject to professional secrecy.” While the defendant conceded sharing the photo on social media was ”not appropriate,” the court’s decision clarifies the legal standing of volunteer firefighters regarding confidential information. The ruling impacts volunteer firefighters across France, establishing a precedent regarding their obligations concerning patient confidentiality and data protection.