report commissioned by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI) Xavier Viegas, professor at the University of Coimbra, on accidents with fatalities in fires this summer shows “several gaps in the training of firefighters,” which translates “in the absence about basic fire behavior “knowledge. The document also criticizes the “anarchy” in the use of counterfire and alert to gaps in the quality of personal protective equipment of the combatants.
These are some of the findings of the preliminary report from the Center for the Study of Forest Fire on the Faculty of Science and Technology of Coimbra, to which the public had access. Minister Miguel Macedo announced on Sunday afternoon that should disseminate a part of the final version of the report on Monday, but only on the analysis of large forest fires this year.
The official justified the reservation as to the second part, relating to each of the deadly incidents, for having “other consequences” that require an assessment “in greater detail.” PUBLIC focuses on the part of the preliminary report on precisely the fatal accidents, having refused to advance the MAI differences between this document and the final version.
document with 27 pages, discusses six accidents that killed nine people, eight of which firefighters. About each case, the team of eight experts, led by Xavier Viegas, gives an account of what happened. Despite never identify themselves responsible, preliminary conclusions betray when failures are attributed to the players themselves or the chain of command, which happens only once. In this case, the accident grove New in Caramulo, which killed a volunteer firefighter and a colleague Alcabideche Estoril, both 23 years old, does not refer to who was the author of the decision to send the group to strengthen to the slope where the accident happened. But it criticizes the decision came from the command post.
“This accident reinforces our view that it should be restricted to a maximum operations on hillsides and canyons. Although we know that often go well, the probability of an accident and the extent of their consequences should discourage firefighters take that risk, “it reads. And it follows immediately: “. Should be to improve training of firefighters, including its leadership, on the fire behavior on slopes and ravines to know to assess the current and potential fire behavior”
In
general conclusions about the six-accidents also highlight gaps in training: “This failure manifests itself in the understatement of the potential fire behavior and an overestimation of one’s abilities of extinction, leading to unnecessary risk-taking behaviors . “
accident grove New, experts admit that the use of air assets (which did not materialize) could have made “a difference in the conduct of operations and, ultimately, in the accident.” Admittedly, data are lacking to be sure, but “. Unsure (…), it would be safer not to perform the operation” The report also recommends avoiding putting fighters near gorges, as happened, remembering that these can “facilitate the occurrence of eruptions of fire.”
Orders disrespected
The main problem with the equipment itself was detected in the incident grove Novo. “You must take care of themselves turn-out gear, not sparing in its price, its quality or the requirement of their specifications,” warns up. And it pointed out that in this case, the device “would have made much difference to the safety or even survival of some firemen”, stating that it has been “particularly felt the deficiency in the quality of the boots, which in general have performed handicapped by trying to walk on the ground with dead burning blanket “. This forced some firefighters to support it with your knees and hands on the ground on fire.
In the remaining five cases, situations where teams of firefighters acted on their own initiative without giving knowledge to the commander of operations (Cicouro accident, Miranda do Douro, where two volunteers died) or disregarded orders given (weight accident are described , in Covilha, where a firefighter died, and S. Marcos, Santiago de Crossbowmen, which killed two firefighters). In two other cases (the accident Sanfins in Valencia, and the want, in Vouzela) is deemed to have been fatal to the fighters – a firefighter for 50 years and chairman of the Joint want, 62 -, the fact that both have tried to save their vehicles. “It is far better to lose a vehicle and all its equipment than a life.” In many cases, experts warn that the accident could have been minimized with the use of fire-shelter (a kind of sleeping bag coated aluminum). “The firefighters and other agents take the fire-shelter can always.”
Another problem identified was the uncontrolled use of fire to fight fire. “Since this is an important tool, there seems some anarchy in his job.” Recognizing “the important role of Group Analysis and Use of Fire,” the experts advise “that should extend its temporal and territorial scope.”
This report dated November 18 explains that the final study was to be presented by the end of this month. However, in early November, the Government requested that it be made a preliminary version, which forced him to change the program of work and to postpone the final report at least one week.
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