More operational, more and more modern vehicles, three permanent helicopters, more fixed lookout posts, a new expanded GIPS attack group from GNR, two more ICNF vigilant teams, three more permanent intervention teams, reinforcement of the Team of Analysis and Use of Fire from the special fire force, three more teams of Sapadores Florestais, a new tactical team for the engagement of track machines and a new group to fight forest fires.
These are, in short, some of the novelties of the Special Device for Combating Rural Fires (DECIR) for the Algarve, which was presented yesterday by the regional operational commander of Civil Protection, during the official opening of the AlgarSafe fair, in Portimão, and in the presence of the Minister of Internal Affairs.
For the Algarve region, 623 firefighters, army and security forces are deployed, with 161 vehicles and three helicopters, in the phase considered the most critical, between 1st July and 30th September.
Commander Vaz Pinto also announced that, this year, DECIR Algarve will have three more permanent intervention teams, distributed by Alcoutim, Monchique and Portimão, as well as an increase in the logistics, support and forest fire fighting teams.
The Algarve also has a permanent attack group throughout the year from the Intervention, Protection and Relief Group (GIPS) of the National Republican Guard (GNR), comprising 30 soldiers and seven vehicles.
Minister Eduardo Cabrita, responsible for the Internal Administration portfolio, present at the DECIR presentation, then highlighted the importance of having «for the first time, an expanded GNR attack structure in the Algarve, one of the four existing on the continent».
There will also be two light helicopters, with an additional air vehicle being integrated between the 1st of July and the 30th of September. These initial attack helicopters, operated by GNR GIPS, are stationed in Monchique, Loulé and Cachopo, allowing full coverage of the region. There is also a fourth helicopter, in Ourique already in Alentejo, but capable of providing assistance to the Algarve, if necessary.
On the other hand, a new army military team will be integrated in surveillance actions in seven municipalities (Alcoutim, Castro Marim, Loulé, Monchique, São Brás de Alportel, Silves and Tavira), moving to seven teams that will carry out surveillance in predominantly rural areas.
There will be two more teams of vigilantes from the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF), the Fire Analysis and Use Team (EAUF) of the special fire force, based in Loulé, will be reinforced and three more teams of Sapadores will be created. Forestry, extending its action to the municipalities of Aljezur, Monchique and São Brás de Alportel.
New this year is also the tactical team for the commitment of track machines, with two specialists, ready to work together with the 10 track machines guaranteed by the municipalities.
There will also be a new group to fight forest fires.
As for the fixed lookout posts, this year there are a total of 12, of which five started operating on 7 May and will extend their action until 6 November. The rest come into action on June 1st.
Alongside the reinforcement of resources, the 16 Algarve municipalities have also increased funding for the device, in an amount that this year is around 400 euros.
For firefighters there will also be an extra payment: they will receive 65 euros for every 24 hours of work, with 50 euros supported by the National Civil Protection Authority and the remaining 15 euros by the Algarve Intermunicipal Community (AMAL), made up of the 16 councils in the Algarve.
In fact, Jorge Botelho, president of AMAL, also present at the ceremony, stressed that «the municipalities of the Algarve are absolutely committed to ensuring that things go well, whether in prevention or in combat».
"We all made a great effort to have a safer Algarve, where rural fires should not happen, or where, if they happen, they will be fought immediately", added the mayor.
For her part, Isilda Gomes, mayor of Portimão and vice-president of the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities, responsible for Civil Protection and Firefighters, argued that "never as now has there been so much work in the prevention of rural fires."
However, he admitted: "we can all do the best job possible, but however much we do, things may not go well."
At the end of a long session for the presentation of DECIR, which also includes the delivery, to the 16 Algarve municipalities and to AMAL itself, of the certificates of «Resilient Municipalities», delivered by the UN, the Minister of Internal Administration also made a point of underlining the effort made. across the country in recent months in terms of prevention.
«What happened in terms of forest clearing was a great victory for Portuguese society. It has never done so much in this matter, which is a credit to the populations, associations of forestry producers and mayors», added Eduardo Cabrita.
The minister also praised the work of the GNR, "which, over the five months of this year, has gone far beyond its traditional functions." In such a way that, in these first months of the year, "a lot more was cleaned, but the administrative offenses were also five times more than they had been last year".
On the other hand, detainees for forest fires also increased: «that number went from 12 last year to 74 this year… and we are still going in May».
“After everything that happened last year, it is our obligation to do everything so that nothing similar ever happens again”, concluded Minister Eduardo Cabrita.
One of the highlights of the visit to the AlgarSafe – International Civil Protection and Relief Fair, which followed, was the presentation of the new vehicle of the Team for Recognition and Assessment of the Situation of the Fire Brigade of Portimão, which is equipped with sophisticated means, namely a drone.
This vehicle was even offered by the brand's dealership, but with the presence at AlgarSafe of the presidents or councilors of the 16 Algarve municipalities, there were many mayors and fire commanders looking carefully at the vehicle, evaluating the possibility of an upcoming acquisition.
Photos: Elisabete Rodrigues | Sul Informação
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