The Portimão Fire Department's Special Rescue Group (GSE) will receive, during the next week, specialized training in Search and Rescue in Collapsed Structures, given by the Portuguese School of Rescue.
40 workers will be stationed for 7 days, in the Chão das Donas area, to receive training, which aims to provide firefighters «with new skills and enhance teamwork, fostering esprit de corps».
The activity will be carried out in various parts of the municipality and «will be based on the guidelines of the United Nations (INSARAG) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), with a view to providing the GSE with tools that allow it to respond to the most varied situations resulting from serious accidents or catastrophes, namely in situations of earthquake with collapse of structures», explains the Fire Department of Portimão.
The content of the training includes “structural screening, with a view to searching and locating possible victims in different contexts, namely in confined spaces, using specific equipment in the application of various rescue techniques”.
Operators will also be able to "assess the risks inherent in the collapse of structures, in order to guarantee their safety in the most complex catastrophe environments, where the use of shoring techniques is highlighted".
The logistical capabilities of "this response unit of the municipal civil protection will also be tested, namely in handling and loads, use of machinery in clearing and opening accesses, as well as sustaining the entire operation in the operational camp modality", adds the Corps of Firefighters.
At the end of the «intense week of training and training, an earthquake simulation exercise will take place, challenging the acquired skills».
This activity has the support of the Municipality of Portimão, which together with the Humanitarian Association of Voluntary Firefighters of Portimão ensures the inherent costs.
The initiative also has the support of the Portuguese Red Cross and the Portimão Group of the Corpo Nacional de Escutas in terms of logistical support.
The GSE is the permanent commitment force of the municipal civil protection of Portimão and, currently, «is qualified to respond in the technical rescue by ropes, whitewater rescue, search and rescue in collapsed structures, rescue in ditches and searches
underwater”, concludes the Fire Department.
Comments