In humanitarian associations that manage volunteer brigades, there are professional staff providing a permanent service without a single legal framework, explained Fernando Curto at the end of a meeting this afternoon with the Secretary of State for Civil Protection, Rui Rocha.
“The idea here is to create a single regulation for professional firefighters in our country and to establish comprehensive emergency support” with “the same conditions and responsibilities,” stated Fernando Curto.
In his view, “it was clear in these recent forest fires that, indeed, the professional aspect is definitely one of the solutions” for the civil protection issues in Portugal.
“Our project aims to standardize the career of professional firefighters within humanitarian associations, creating a career path that allows for sustainable progression, with ranks and responsibilities similar to municipal firefighters,” he said.
Fernando Curto added that “professional firefighters must be part of a hierarchical structure” that meets the country’s needs.
The leader emphasized that he advocated strengthening the special forces of the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection to the government.
“We also proposed to the Secretary of State the need to create a Special Firefighter Force with at least a thousand men to provide aid, for intervention, and to have an additional specialized operational force to assist in forest fires,” he specified.
Moreover, the ANBP asked the government to support local municipalities in investing in their own firefighter sapper teams.
“This must become a reality to elevate civil protection to a higher level. Municipalities will have firefighter sapper teams to fight fires in the summer and carry out prevention and organization during the winter,” explained Fernando Curto.
