SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, June 3 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Governing Council of the Cabildo de Tenerife has approved the contracting file for the tender for the chartering service of two helicopters to fight forest fires, worth 7,726,962 euros. This new contract, for the period 2024-2028, includes an increase in the service cycles of both helicopters, based at Tenerife Sur Airport.
Specifically, the first helicopter will be active 365 days a year (compared to the six months included in the previous contract); and the second, will increase its period of service from four to six months, at the expense of the possible improvements that the applicants may present.
These are light single-turbine helicopters, with capacity for 5 people and 1,000 liters of water or foam. They allow the capture of images in real time (both photographic and video) of all incidents detected for transmission to CECOPIN, they are capable of carrying out fire-fighting missions up to a height of 3,000 meters, and their cruising speed reaches 235 kilometers per hour.
At the aerial level, the Cabildo operation also has three drones with thermographic and visual cameras to take images and videos.
Regarding the land operation, this year it is made up of a total of 327 people: the 163 workers of the Cabildo de Tenerife (who are deployed throughout the year with tasks of management, prevention, control and extinction), the 122 workers of reinforcement to the operation (deployed since mid-April), and the 42 troops from the Teide National Park.
At the ground level, there are also three 9,000-litre pumpers, 14 forestry pumps with a capacity of between 3,500 and 5,000 liters (6 newly incorporated), two 1,800-liter medium-sized pumpers, 30 500-liter light pumpers (5 of new incorporation), an Advanced Command Post vehicle and 29 all-terrain transport vehicles.
MEANS OF SUPPORT
In addition to the Island Corporation’s own resources, we must add the availability, during the risk period, of others from the Government of the Canary Islands. Specifically, five GES multifunction helicopters and rapid intervention teams (EIRIF) located on each of the smaller islands.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food also offers the availability of two 1,600-liter medium helicopters to replace the Kamov K-32 helicopter; the Puntagorda Brif, in La Palma; and a cargo plane on the ground (3,200 liter Air Tractor) at La Gomera airport.
Likewise, the Military Emergency Unit (UME) collaborates in case of need with troops according to demand. There are two detachments, one in Tenerife (Los Rodeos Barracks) and another in Gran Canaria (Gando Base).
