The Algarve’s 17 firefighting corporations have decided to ignore an order from their national league and will continue to report their call-outs to the National Civil Protection Authority.
The national Portuguese Firemen's League, led by Jaime Marta Soares, announced on Saturday that the country's firefighters no longer will be reporting what they are up to, to their Disaster Relief Operations Commanders at the Civil Protection Authority, in protest at rule changes made by the Government.
The Portuguese Firemen’s League wants to see a national fire department that is, "autonomous, independent and with its own budget," and has nothing to do with reporting to the National Civil Protection Authority whose competence it questions.
According to Soares, the Government has presented a proposal that was, "completely unadjusted to the reality of the country," one that, "will interfere in the autonomy of the firemen's associations."
On 22 November, the Algarve Fire Federation explained in a statement, that the new national legislation, "does not correspond to the legitimate expectations and wishes of our firefighters and volunteer firefighters, which may cause and aggravate their lack of motivation.”
The Algarve firefighters then participated in a national rally in Lisbon and seemed solidly behind their national federation.
But the Algarve region's sturdy Bombeiros have decided to ignore the decision of their national body and will continue to report incidents to Civil Protection, "bearing in mind the superior interest of the protection of lives and property."
See also: 'Fire service refuses to work with new Emergencies and Civil Protection Authority'
