In Lisbon, approximately fifty volunteers participated today in a protest that began at Praça do Comércio and concluded in front of the Assembly of the Republic. The demonstration aimed to highlight issues such as the lack of career paths and the inadequate provisions, like receiving only a sandwich while on duty.
“We are completely forgotten and abandoned by the government,” stated Fernando Bento of the group “Bombeiros de Portugal – juntos somos mais fortes,” which organized the event. The group had previously held a three-day vigil in front of the parliament in September.
There are about 30,000 volunteers in Portugal, half of whom are also professional firefighters, according to Fernando Bento. Key demands include the creation of a career path, better wages, risk and rapid wear allowances, retirement at 60, and funding and incentives for humanitarian associations.
Humberto Batista, the creator of the “Bombeiros de Portugal” group, explained that volunteers have similar demands to professional firefighters. He emphasized that without better working conditions, attracting young individuals to the forces would be challenging.
The hours volunteered are unpaid, and only during the fire season do they receive “3.12 euros per hour,” noted Fernando Bento, who contributes 12 hours weekly to his corps.
“Today’s youth do not want to volunteer for just a sandwich and a drink, which is a major issue,” remarked Humberto Batista.
As a result, some firefighters are leaving the profession, with volunteers questioning their involvement, like Tiago Rodrigues, who joined a corps at 18.
“We are entitled to a sandwich when volunteering at night and a lunch and a sandwich when serving during the day,” shared Tiago Rodrigues, 28, who transitioned from professional to volunteer firefighter, contributing 24 hours monthly yet uncertain about his future commitment.
“This summer I had to use my hours to help colleagues with fires,” recalled the young man, who felt “compelled to leave the firefighting career because the government does not recognize our work.”
Due to lack of recognition and salary issues, volunteers state that humanitarian associations face significant difficulties: “It’s not easy to equip a firefighter, as it costs around five thousand euros,” warned Humberto Batista, mentioning that some firefighters operate with “worn-out boots.”
The protest in front of the parliament attracted members from the Chega and Livre parliamentary groups, who vowed to propose measures in the 2026 State Budget addressing firefighters’ concerns.
“It’s unsustainable for these firefighters to risk their lives for three euros per hour,” criticized Deputy Jorge Pinto, recalling that the Livre group has submitted “dozens of proposals,” which were rejected, yet promised to “reintroduce new proposals in the budget and beyond.”
In a statement to journalists, Chega’s parliamentary leader, Pedro Pinto, confirmed that Chega has proposals aligned with the demonstrators’ demands, such as a risk allowance or a firefighter school, estimating that these would “cost much less than what we are currently spending on RSI” (Social Integration Income).
