112 CultureShock! Chile
Fire Department
You may often see bomberos, as firemen are called, out
collecting donations in the streets. This is because all firemen
in Chile are volunteers, with the exception of paid professional
fire departments at the airport, in the armed forces and in
certain industries. Bomberos are highly respected in Chile
and some units are more prestigious than others. Many units
are comprised of members from certain ethnic groups (the
French Company, for example) or from certain professions
(i.e., lawyers). All volunteers undergo rigourous training and
there is a strict hierarchical order within each company.Firefi ghters in Chile are volunteers and many companies are organised
according to profession or ethnicity.