The work itself will improve the logistical and operational conditions of the firefighting helicopter and its crew, but the «ultimate objective» of the investment in the new Centro de Meios Aéreos de Cachopo, in Tavira, whose tender has already been launched, is that there is "an air vehicle all year round to increase the safety of citizens".
Second revealed to Sul Informação Ana Paula Martins, Mayor of Tavira, the work, which is expected to be completed «at the end of 2022 or beginning of 2023», will allow not only to renew the track and create a support infrastructure, but also to build permanent accommodations for the agents. protection services that are parked there, which are currently “housed in containers”.
The project that is up for tender foresees the construction of a two-story building. On the upper floor, which will lead directly to the runway, an “operational area will be installed, with the communication room and a space for equipment”.
On the lower floor, “a female dormitory with three beds and another male dormitory with eight beds” will be installed, as well as “a living room with kitchen and dining space and a multipurpose space, where training can be given”.
The work, which also provides for "the expansion of water distribution and wastewater drainage networks and the paving of the access road", has an execution period of 180 days and an estimated cost of 2,5 million euros, which will have co-funding from the Interreg VA Spain – Portugal Cross-border Cooperation Programme.
«Every year, we have the helicopter operating from Cachopo for part of the year, within the scope of the Forest Fire Fighting Device», explained Ana Paula Martins.
The operatives of the Civil Protection and the Emergency Protection and Relief Unit [the new name of the GIPS] of the GNR deployed to this locality in the municipality of Tavira, in the phases of greatest fire risk, until now had to use temporary facilities.
With these works, they have all the necessary conditions.
More than creating an infrastructure to fully function for a few months, the Mayor of Tavira wants this helicopter to be stationed in Cachopo «all year round» and is already talking about «negotiating» with the regional Civil Protection authority to make it happen.
The municipality of Tavira assumes the objective of this work to «strengthen the protection and rescue response capacity of air resources in the Algarve, allowing to carry out differentiated emergency interventions for the safety of citizens, focusing on dynamization and providing resources to a parish located more than 40 Km from the city, with a high risk of fire where the dense vegetation and the uneven terrain make the operations of the ground teams difficult».
In addition to this intervention, there are also ongoing the projects to expand the Loulé heliport and the creation of the Centro de Meios Aéreos de Monchique.
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