Tenerife Fire Department Opens Recruitment for 52 New Firefighters This Year

The Fire Prevention and Extinction Consortium and Rescue of Tenerife, an entity affiliated with the Cabildo, has announced an enhancement to its workforce of over 200 professional personnel, with the recruitment of 52 new positions in the role of specialist driver.

Additionally, internal promotion procedures will be conducted to fill 19 chief positions. These initiatives are set to improve operational management and coordination during interventions, aiming to optimise service across the island.

The island’s president, Rosa Dávila, reported that this year’s budget is forecasted at 25.9 million euros (+1.48%), along with the balance for services in the Güímar Park, which is the newest initiative.

The event was also attended by the Minister of Natural Environment, Sustainability, Security and Emergencies, Blanca Pérez; the Insular Director of Security and Emergencies, Iván Martín; and the chief fire officer, Florencio López.

Budget

Rosa Dávila indicated that a historic budget of 25.9 million euros for 2025 has been approved, reflecting an increase of 1.48% from the previous year. “This increase will enable crucial projects concerning infrastructure, equipment, and human resources to enhance operational capacity and emergency responses in Tenerife.” Dávila noted that throughout this year, “the infrastructure of fire stations across the island will continue to be bolstered.”

On one hand, a provisional park is already operational in Isora Guide, and efforts are underway to establish a new checkpoint in the Adeje-Arona area for the following year, improving coverage and response times throughout the southern region.

Furthermore, the Government of the Canary Islands and the municipalities of Guide de Isora, Arona and Adeje are collaborating on the construction of permanent parks in these localities. Additionally, the eight volunteer fire associations will receive a grant of 450,000 euros in 2025, supplementing the funds already approved for the acquisition of 8 Pick-up vehicles.

Improvements

Blanca Pérez emphasised the “drive to improve critical areas such as logistics and communications management, which are essential for ensuring resources are consistently available and that communication flows effectively during all interventions.”

In a similar vein, Pérez remarked that “we will continue to invest in specialised training to guarantee an efficient and high-quality service to the public.”

Technology

The Insular Director of Security and Emergencies, Iván Martín, outlined that the Tenerife Firefighter Consortium will persist in investing in advanced technology, incorporating drones to enhance aerial surveillance in emergency situations.

These devices will enhance security in real-time, facilitating quicker and more precise decision-making during interventions. Moreover, he stated that “the commitment to continuous training for personnel will be upheld, particularly in critical areas such as water rescues, traffic incidents involving new propulsion vehicles, and rescues in mountainous and coastal regions.”

2024 Overview

The head of the Tenerife Fire Consortium, Florencio López, presented the actions taken in 2024, which totalled 5,097. This marks a 24.23% increase in activity compared to the prior year, with fires being the most common incident, accounting for 2,090 cases. Traffic accidents exhibited the largest increase, with an annual variation of 147.57%.

Overall, the Tenerife Fire Coordination Centre at 112 managed 25,648 calls from the public, which is a 7.8% increase compared to the previous year, of which 10,111 were requests for firefighting services. The month showing the highest activity was December, with 2,524 calls handled.

Preventative Activities

Preventive and drill exercises have been intensified to enhance the troops’ response capabilities in relation to the rise in incidents and to provide the community with tools to mitigate risk situations necessitating their intervention.

Preventive actions increased by 26.57%, aided by established campaigns such as the Prevention Week, in partnership with the Mapfre Foundation. Training and prevention strategies will remain central to their efforts in the coming years.

In 2024, 17 drills of various types were executed, including aquatic rescues, responding to the rising incidence of drownings in recent times.

Incidents

The most prevalent incidents attended by the Tenerife Fire Consortium in 2024 comprised fires (2,090), followed by rescues (785), door openings (566) and traffic collisions (510). The latter category experienced the most significant growth in comparison to the previous year, with a percentage increase of 147.57%.

Concerning fires, notable incidents included stubble burning (528) and vehicle fires (318), followed by home fires (315) and container fires (215). In terms of risk levels, the majority of services operated at level 2 or moderate risk (3,693 incidents), while 1,401 interventions were categorised as level 1 or low risk. No level 3 incidents, deemed to be of very high risk to individuals or property, were recorded.

Noteworthy Services

Among the most significant services was the fire at the Recycling and Composting Plant in Parque de la Reina, which burned a total of 3.5 hectares of plant material; a team dispatched to Valencia for search, location, and mitigation tasks following the passage of the Dana; and the incidents provoked during the maximum alert for winds in December, with over 80 services provided across various parts of the island and 481 calls logged by the Tenerife Firefighters Emergency Coordination Centre at 112.

Additonally, the previous year’s record comprises 95 incidents attributable to property damage, 54 services involving hazardous materials, and others addressing damage caused by water or adverse weather phenomena (FMA), collaborations, and technical inspections.

Timings

The period of peak activity occurs between 14:00 and 16:00 hours, with Sundays being the days with the highest number of interventions. By region, once again, the park with the most deployments is that of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, with 1,657 services, followed by San Miguel (1,270), La Laguna (899), La Orotava (666), Güímar (381), Icod de los Vinos (218), and Guide de Isora (121), active since October 2024.

Volunteers

Among the eight Volunteer Fire Associations in Tenerife, the Adeje, Güímar, and Guide de Isora participated in the highest number of services during 2024, with 462, 167, and 134, respectively. The complete list includes La Laguna, Tegueste, Los Realejos, Icod de los Vinos (Ycoden Daute), and Santiago del Teide.