Terrie Clifford
A German man in Peniche sees seagulls pecking at a dead pigeon. Could it be bird flu? He wonders who to call. A woman from the US in Lourinhã feels chest pain; her heart is racing. With phone calls to the same central number, the bird is safely removed and the woman is whisked to the hospital. Both problems were resolved by highly trained emergency responders unique to their communities. Meet the Bombeiros.
Across Portugal, the Bombeiros are the first responders to vehicle collisions, urgent medical issues, and residential and commercial fires. They rescue residents during storms and floods, transport the sick, and spend hot summers battling wildfires.
95% of the 42,000 firefighters in Portugal are volunteers. Lawyers, shopkeepers, construction workers—even mothers: several times a month they risk their lives for work without pay, sometimes depending on donated equipment. Bombeiros also undergo hundreds of hours of training each year. Named after the bomba (pump), their history begins in a 1395 charter from King Joao I. Our local squads get money from the EU, state funds, municipal budgets, and generous individuals. The departments are as unique as the communities they serve. Here are profiles of leadership and capabilities in Caldas da Rainha, Lourinhã and Peniche.
The Caldas Bombeiros are strongly anchored in their community. The department runs a public pool and gym. Comandante Nelson Cruz leads the team with an easygoing manner honed by 31 years of experience. “This is something I have wanted to do since childhood,” he said. His career has been dangerous and demanding. But he got to help deliver eleven babies in ambulances. One grateful couple made him their child’s godfather. Cruz heads a staff of 121, 32 are female, and the majority are volunteers.
His department traveled to fight 65 wildfires outside of Caldas this year. “The wildfires are getting worse, because of climate change” he noted. Although the Caldas department receives funding from national, state and local sources, they rely on community donations to serve the department’s 255 square-kilometer coverage area. This year’s community door-knocking campaign raised 140,000 euros.
The Associação Humanitária dos Bombeiros Voluntarios da Lourinhã is housed in an enviable complex with a building for structural fire training, a farm to feed the crew, and the only certified heliport operated by a fire department in Portugal. Cidália Fonseca, Lourinhã’s second-in-command, says the department is proud the heliport has hosted helicopter rescue operations, the Portuguese National Guard helicopter and numerous wildfire missions, but they are most proud that they built the heliport themselves. Fonseca’s 24-year career in firefighting fuels her priorities for her team: “Security, Safety, Knowledge.” Cutting-edge training helped them rescue an injured worker from a wind turbine.
The Lourinhã squad covers an area of 148 sq.km with a staff of 70. 18 are women. Lourinhã sends crews to fight wildfires as far as Madeira and even Ukraine. Providing equipment, fuel and continuous training is costly, Fonseca said. The department raised 50,000€ this year through their events. Next goal: replacing their 20-year-old helmets at a price of 475€ each.
The Corpo de Bombeiros de Peniche is unique in several aspects. They have the largest percentage of female firefighters, 39 of 94, and their staff includes the youngest woman in a leadership position. Inês Teixeira was 16 when she joined 16 years ago; now she is a member of the command staff. She said the volunteer work combines two of her early interests: the need to help people and a taste for adrenaline.
Their Peniche HQ faces the sea, a constant reminder that the coast is a huge part of their 77.5 sq.km coverage area. They also serve the offshore Berlengas islands, transporting the injured back to the mainland. They are trained in sea rescue, underwater search, and technical rope missions in the cliffs—on top of the mainstays of structural firefighting and EMT. The department is funded by the community, the city of Peniche and national sources. Peniche’s many beaches result in the town’s population tripling from June to October, stretching the department thin. Still, Teixeira said they manage to send units into the summer wildfires. She wants people to remember Bombeiros give up time with their families to serve others even on holidays.
Many squads are active on social media (FB,IG). Follow for news about upcoming fundraisers. Donations are always welcome.
How to Report Your Emergency
Dial 112, the unified dispatch for police, fire, and ambulance. English and more are spoken. Calls route to regional call centers. Be ready to tell the operator the nature of your emergency, exact address, nearby landmarks, and the phone number you are calling from. They will activate the appropriate local responders. Speak slowly, answer all questions, and stay on the line until the operator tells you to hang up.
