“Hello pomplards!” : it is with this thundering sentence that Benoît Coulaud begins each of his videos. His job is to put out fires and yet he ignites social networks! At 35, the one who calls himself “Strike Workout” on the web holds a fire hose in one hand, a camera in the other. This firefighter from Creuse has been publishing videos on the internet for almost ten years that tell the backstage of his job. He is followed by hundreds of thousands of people. Some videos have been viewed a million times.
A lot of people think we’re just sitting on the couch watching TV while waiting for the interventions.
He films himself during his bodybuilding training, presents the equipment, takes us to discover his daily life at the Guéret barracks or even takes selfies while he jumps like an acrobat on the roofs of Paris. Over the years, he has become a social media star, even though he doesn’t like the term. He counts 62,000 subscribers on Youtube and more than 400,000 on tik tokthe favorite teen network.
“My idea is not to be a star but to show my job to everyonehe explains on the antenna of France Bleu Creuse this Friday, February 4. A lot of people think that we stay on the sofa watching TV while waiting for the interventions, but it does not happen like that at all, we train constantly!
From Bourganeuf to Guéret via the Bataclan
He films himself in his free timenever in intervention – out of respect for the victims – but sometimes in maneuvers or training at the barracks: “I do most of the videos between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. when there are no interventions, to be square with work.” Supported by his superiors, “Strike Workout” must nevertheless have its videos validated by its hierarchy.
His career began at age 16 as a volunteer firefighter in Bourganeuf. He then left for Paris where he had great experiences, but also hardships: in 2015, he works in the premises of Charlie Hebdo and Bataclan. In 2018, he was invited to attend the July 14 parade from the presidential gallery.
He began filming his daily life in 2013. Almost ten years later, he moved with ease from the France 2 newscast to the BFM sets. His notoriety allows him today to travel throughout France, and even beyond.. He is invited to many departments but also to Geneva or the United States to share his passion.
Lots of messages of support
Did he succeed in arousing vocations? His video “How to become a volunteer firefighter?” has been viewed over 40,000 times. “I receive a lot of messages from people who tell me that thanks to my videos, they have become Paris firefighters, volunteer firefighters or Marseille firefighters, or that it made them want to get back into sport.”