The burning of containers and stubble was the origin of four out of ten fires registered last year on the Island (38.2%). It is one of the conclusions of the Annual memory 2021 of Firefighters Consortium, presented yesterday. The balance establishes an increase of 1.81% in interventions compared to 2020 (3,698 services) to reach 3,765. It should be noted that 13.36% (503) of the total corresponds to the appendix of the so-called door openings. The global budget of the Tenerife Fire Prevention and Extinction Consortium increases by 6% for 2022 to reach 21.5 million euros. Includes the hiring of ten new professional firefighters and a job bank in reserve for another 40. The president of the council, Peter Martin, has presented the Report together with the Minister of the Natural Environment, Isabel García, the insular director of Security, Rubén Fernández and the Chief Officer, Florencio López. Martín has valued the commitment to prevention work, which is manifested through the incorporation of vehicles, state-of-the-art machinery, more personnel, and new parks. In this sense, he values those from the South, which will give relief to San Miguel, the only one today with professional staff. On the one hand, the one in Güímar, which is expected to be completed in the first half of the year, and the next one in Guía de Isora. Regarding the latter, which would serve the west of the island, including Santiago del Teide, he has indicated that a ship is proposed as an alternative to the definitive one for whose land, on the edge of the TF-1, is negotiated with the Canary Islands Government. Martín has highlighted the coordination with other bodies such as the case of BRIFOR in the mountains in the event of any eventuality in the form of a forest fire. Isabel García indicates that one of the objectives is “to achieve a safer Island, in which the population trusts the security and emergency teams.”
Martín emphasizes the increase “year after year” of the interventions derived from the burning of stubble. Last year there were 396 situations to add the 245 cases of burning garbage containers. The president has assessed that “the firefighters They are requested in actions outside the Island and the most recent case is that of La Palma. because we have top-level teams and professionals.” The island councilor Isabel García points out that “we have set ourselves the goal of achieving a safer Island, in which the population, both residents and visitors, trusts the security and emergency teams that assist them.” Hence the special emphasis on the continuous training of the people who work in them». Rubén Fernández recalled that the Consortium’s budget will exceed 21 million euros, 6% more than the previous year, and that it will be linked to growth in personnel, parks and vehicles.
Breakdown
The Chief Officer, Florencio López, was in charge of detailing the data from last year’s report, Thus, of the 3,765 interventions, 1,649 were actual fires (46.97%), 682 rescues (18.11%), 503 openings of doors (13.36%) and 213 (5.66%) actions in traffic accidents. As for the fires, those 396 sources of uncontrolled burning of stubble stand out, the cause of more alerts, followed by 241 fires in homes, 245 in containers and 234 in vehicles. The Chief Officer pointed out that three were the most important actions, reaching Level III, high risk. On January 29 due to the collision of a small plane with power lines in an area near a gas station in Arico; on September 19, due to the volcanic eruption in La Palma and on November 19 due to a fire in a garage in Puerto de la Cruz. In 2021, the 112 Coordination Center received 7,111 emergency calls (3.38% more than in 2020) out of a total of 18,677 (4.23% more). These calls, with the highest weight in October and the lowest in January, had an average response time of 14 seconds. By municipalities, Santa Cruz and La Laguna are the ones that launch the most alerts with 1,201 and 526, respectively, followed by Arona, with 296, and Adeje, with 222. At the other extreme, El Tanque, Vilaflor and La Guancha only required 4, 9 and 10, respectively.
