May 2014 | Now 4000 FREE copies per month
A community newsletter for the western Algarve
Lagos Bombeiros Need You An urgent appeal has been launched to raise 5,000 euros for new regulation fire protection clothing by the end of this month for Lagos Bombeiros. All bombeiros are now required to have a special team to cope with forest fires and other major incidents but a lack of funds means that the town’s firefighters do not have the protective clothing they need. There is always an increased risk of forest fires in the western Algarve during the hot, dry summer months. In 2012, 16 people died from forest fires. At the time Antonio Gualdino, spokesman for the National Fire
By a staff writer
Coordination Centre said the main fire moved to within about five miles of Lagos before being brought under control. In total, Lagos has about 25 paid firefighters with another 80 volunteers. The new team of 20 will be made up entirely of volunteers who will work alongside the regulars to cover major incidents. They will be expected to be on call 24 hours a day, ready to react at a split seconds notice. The team has been doing intensive training for the last two years and should be up and running by May 15th. But a lack of funds means they do not have the required kit
including fireproof gloves, flash masks, helmets and jackets. Now the bombeiros are appealing to ‘Tomorrow’s readers to help raise the money they need within the next month. A spokeswoman for Lagos Bombeiros said: “For the last three years we have been financially struggling - it’s been hard to manage all the expenses with less public and private subsidies. Now we have to get this special fire equipment for the 20 new firefighter volunteers ready for the summer forest fire brigade.” Continued on Page 6 »
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