A drone to go where firefighters have difficulty getting to, whether on the cliffs of the municipality, whether in forest fires or in other emergency situations, is the latest acquisition by the Lagoa Volunteer Firefighters.
The drone and a new ambulance, representing an investment of around 70 euros, were awarded by the Lagoa City Council, based on a protocol between the municipality, the Volunteer Firefighters and the Civil Protection.
Francisco Martins, Mayor of Lagoa, who attended the ceremony for the handover of both pieces of equipment, stressed that the protocol, which has been “strengthened every year”, reaches around half a million euros, allocated by the Municipal Budget.
The mayor added that, after the assignment of a fire car, "this is the fourth ambulance delivered by the municipality to that corporation." The support for the Fire Department of Lagos, stressed the mayor, is "a legal obligation, but also a moral one".
Joaquim Lima, president of the Board of the Humanitarian Association of Voluntary Firefighters of Lagoa, for his part, revealed that the new ambulance is "the best there is in terms of medical emergencies."
It solves two situations: the absence of the INEM vehicle, attributed to the corporation since 9 January, but which is in the garage awaiting repair, and the lack of another vehicle, for three months in the garage, "with a complicated breakdown" .
«We have three cars – this will be the fourth – to help, immediately, never neglecting the municipality, for which a vehicle is always reserved», explained Joaquim Lima.
But afternoon star it was even the drone, which will soon be operated by two firefighters, who will be trained by Bruno Gonçalves, senior technician at the Lagoa Council and a private specialist in the use of these devices.
It is a reconnaissance drone, which has a range of up to four kilometers and can reach an altitude of 120 meters, the maximum allowed by law. It will allow us to go further in forest fire situations and dispel false suspicions in places where the risks for firefighters are high.
"It is more dimensioned to assist the accidents that happen on our cliffs, in caves and areas of difficult access and, often, without the certainty that the victim is actually in place", said the mayor. "You peace soldiers they are often put at risk without being sure. It is, therefore, a complementary means that can help, since its existence will allow the victim to be assessed and assisted more quickly», underlined Francisco Martins.
Vítor Rio Alves, commander of the Lagoa Fire Department, explained to the Sul Informação that the drone can be used in those situations where, «instead of being a firefighter descending a cliff, to recognize a situation that may even be just a false alarm», the device will be used.
But also in other emergency situations, namely in fires, the drone can be very useful. “The drone allows us to make the assessment right away. On the ground, in a fire, we will have access to images in real time. And so, when we go to a place, we will know what we are going to do, contrary to what happens now», added the commander.
Vítor Rio Alves added that the Lagoa Firefighters, despite serving a small area municipality, provide 300 to 320 emergency and relief services per month, for a total of about 4000 per year.
It's just that, in addition to the fact that its mission is not confined to the borders from Lagoa, the county is also crossed by important roads, such as the EN125 and Via do Infante, where help is often needed.
Therefore, underlined the commander, despite all the efforts of the municipality, there is always a need for new vehicles. Right now, "we need another extrication vehicle".
And then there are the other vehicles, which have a five-year circulation limit, according to the law. Mayor Francisco Martins announced his intention to replace these corporation vehicles. One of them, he revealed, should even be offered to the municipality of São Domingos, in Cape Verde, with which Lagoa is twinned.
“There are daily transport cars for patients for hemodialysis and physiotherapy that start work at six in the morning and finish at midnight. They are cars that are eight, nine years old and are 600, 700 thousand kilometers long…», said the commander of the BVL and responsible for Civil Protection.
The Lagoa Volunteer Fire Department currently has 52 workers and 27 operational vehicles, including 14 ambulances, four fire trucks and two autotanks, two command jeeps, two extrication vehicles, a rescue jeep and two boats.
Photos: Elisabete Rodrigues | Sul Informação
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