A total of 13 components of the Fire Fighting and Rescue Service (SEIS – Firefighters) and Civil Protection of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria have left this afternoon for Tenerife to collaborate with the extinction of the fire in Tenerife, which started on the past 15 August and that already affects more than 13,000 hectares of forest. Before their departure, the members of both municipal bodies received a visit from the mayoress of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Carolina Darias, and the Councilor for Security and Emergencies, Josué Íñiguez, who thanked them for their willingness to go to extinguish the forest fire .
The mayoress pointed out during the meeting that the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria City Council “is making our entire Fire Brigade and the group of Civil Protection volunteers available to the emergency department to collaborate in extinguishing the fire.” And she added: “We transfer all the support of the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to the island of Tenerife in these hard times.”
The professionals left the central park of Miller Bajo in six specialized units: three light vehicles, one heavy, one command and another logistics that transport technical means of extinction and lighting, as well as material for logistics. In the contingent are two corporals and six SEIS agents, and the head of Civil Protection, Daniel Barrera, along with four volunteers who will relieve colleagues from other bodies who have acted against the flames in recent days. It is expected that around 8:00 p.m. they will already be collaborating with the extinction of this fire, which has become one of the most important in the Archipelago in recent years.
The City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria thus responds to the request for collaboration made by the General Directorate of Emergencies of the Government of the Canary Islands. Last week, the mayoress offered all the municipal material and human resources to be activated at the time deemed appropriate. Likewise, from the Consistory it was stressed that, if the fire is prolonged in time, both the SEIS and Civil Protection are available to participate in the extinction work.
This is not the first emergency in which the firefighters of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria have collaborated outside the Island. The SEIS was already present in La Palma during the emergency caused by the Cumbre Vieja volcano. On that occasion, the long duration of the operation meant that several crews had to travel to the beautiful island to provide support in emergency work. In them participated, among others, the head of the service and the sergeant, who were in charge of coordination tasks with the Government of the Canary Islands.
