Vítor Vaz Pinto

The Operations Commander of the Algarve District Group of the ANPC (National Civil Defence Authority) Vítor Vaz Pinto, explained to ECO123 what measures had been taken to avoid fires in the Algarve in 2014:

There is a concerted effort for fire prevention, the responsibility of three bodies: the Nature Conservation Institute, for the structural and awareness-raising part; the National Republican Guard (GNR), for prevention activities, namely vigilance, detection and inspection; and the National Civil Defence Authority for the coordination of the firefighting work, reflash watch and vigilance after the fire.

Based on civil defence operations recorded in 2012, the District Headquarters of Rescue Operations in Faro drew up a strategic document to guide the practical application of corrective measures, entitled “Lições Aprendidas – Medidas Corretivas” (Lessons Learned, Corrective Measures), which included contributions by all those involved in the Integrated System of Protection and Rescue Operations in the district.

Nineteen training courses were held, lasting a total of 278 hours, involving 362 trainees, including firefighters, forestry firefighters, staff of the municipal civil protection services, the GNR and military.

This plan was tested through the Decision-Making Exercise, as part of institutional coordination, culminating in the exercise “Serra Segura 2013”, implemented on the strategic level in the form of a Command Post Exercise, and on the level of tactics and manoeuvres in the field.

Local people should contribute to prevention work by clearing the scrubland around their homes, separating their crops with fire-breaks, and keeping wood, diesel fuel and other flammable products in a secure and isolated location. Should a fire occur, they should call 112 or the local fire brigade immediately; if there is no danger, they should try to extinguish the fire with spades, hoes or branches; they should follow the instructions of the firefighters; remove vehicles from the roads giving access to the fire; and inform the authorities about the presence of suspicious people