More than a year after the Nice attacks, the Alpes-Maritimes department wanted to pay tribute to the 465 firefighters of the Departmental Fire and Rescue Service, mobilized on the night of July 14.
“The nation wanted to thank you.” These words, spoken by Eric Ciotti, President of the Alpes-Maritimes department, show how grateful the French people, and especially those of Nice, feel towards those who performed exceptional work under terrible conditions that horrific night.
Christian Estrosi (Mayor of Nice), Georges François Leclerc (Prefect of Alpes-Maritimes), Véronique Laurent Albesa (Sub-Prefect), Colonel René Dies (Departmental Director and Chief of SDIS-06), and Eric Ciotti were all tasked with decorating these men and women who rescued over 400 victims on the night of July 14. 
At the back of the departmental council gardens, after a poignant Marseillaise performed by the SDIS-06 orchestra, the officials were able to present the honors. First, individual awards to about a hundred agents, with internal security medals classified as gold, silver, or bronze. Then collectively, where each fire and rescue center chief received an honor medal for acts of courage and dedication, as well as a congratulatory letter, both addressed to the entire intervention center. 
Following these moving decorations, Eric Ciotti spoke to express the honor represented by the presentation of these distinctions: “I thank the department for wanting this ceremony, which honors, distinguishes, and rewards the merits of those who intervened with their qualities in such a tragic and dramatic scenario. Ladies and gentlemen of SDIS-06, you embody the links of this chain, oh so important. The one of rescue, of life, which you strengthen a little more each day through your commitment. I was present on that horrific night. I was thus able to personally measure the effectiveness that characterizes you. I would like to say that our fellow citizens must know they can count on exceptional men and women.”
Georges-François Leclerc, Prefect of Alpes-Maritimes, also emphasized the sense of gratitude he perceived from the citizens towards these agents, seen as true heroes. “On July 14, 2016, there were screams of horror, sadness, anger, too, sometimes. On July 14, 2017, a poignant ceremony took place, where something wonderful happened. There was a sudden applause from the people of Nice, from the audience, for all those who intervened on that night that will forever mark us. Heroism, courage, and dedication were strongly appreciated. It’s not about medals, not about speeches, but a spontaneous applause from men and women saying thank you.”
In total on that tragic evening, 455 victims had received medical care by 4:00 AM. Georges-François Leclerc said, “we can never emphasize enough how, thanks to this care, lives were able to be saved.
