In October 2023, the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM) in Portugal announced the relocation of its emergency medical ambulance base in Leiria. The ambulance, previously stationed at a hospital base, has been moved to the Companhia de Bombeiros Sapadores, as the previous location no longer met the required operational standards for the eight pre-hospital emergency technicians.
The INEM clarified that this operational base will soon transition to the former Parceiros health center. This move is part of a partnership with the Municipality of Leiria aimed at providing optimal working conditions for the emergency team.
The new location promises improved spaces for work organization, rest, dining, as well as better storage and sanitation facilities for equipment, and appropriate parking for the vehicle.
Moreover, this relocation offers quicker access to major roads, facilitating faster response times across various zones within the emergency service area.
The INEM further detailed that the transition will be implemented once all the stipulated conditions with the Municipality of Leiria are fulfilled, and a protocol for using the new space is established.
City Councilor for Civil Protection, Luís Lopes, expressed hopes for the change to occur within the month, affirming that necessary renovations are complete.
According to Lopes, situating the base in Parceiros utilizes municipal properties that were previously idle and enables a reorganization of medical emergency ambulances in the municipality.
“Maintaining this ambulance at the previous site alongside the Bombeiros Sapadores did not make sense. We aimed to optimize response times within the established network while also accommodating the increasing population and incident rates in the Parceiros area,” Lopes remarked.
The councilor also indicated that the new setup provides an additional emergency pre-hospital resource between the city, where the Sapadores headquarters is located, and Maceira, which hosts its own firefighting detachment, thereby improving efficiency and response times.
According to the INEM website, the medical emergency ambulances, formerly known as basic life support units, are staffed by a team of two pre-hospital emergency technicians from the Institute.
Their mission is to ensure rapid deployment to emergency locations, providing clinical stabilization of accident victims or those experiencing sudden illness, and transporting them to the appropriate emergency services.
These ambulances are housed at INEM bases and are equipped with diverse clinical evaluation, resuscitation, and stabilization tools.
In contrast, the medical emergency and resuscitation vehicle (VMER) is designed for rapid intervention and transportation of a medical team, composed of a doctor and a nurse, directly to the patient. It is equipped with advanced life support equipment.
The VMER operates under the direct supervision of the Urgent Patient Guidance Centers and is based at hospital centers, such as the Santo André Hospital in Leiria.
