The League of Portuguese Firefighters (LBP) presented this Monday to the government a list of demands that includes support for training, the creation of its own charter, improved training for volunteer firefighters or tax support for companies that help corporations.
In a conversation with Lusa after a meeting at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the LBP president expressed satisfaction with the guardianship position, and a series of technical meetings are now planned to discuss the list of demands point by point.
“The meeting at the Ministry of Internal Affairs with the minister and secretaries of state gave firefighters the opportunity to present a number of problems related to the financial insufficiency of our humanitarian associations, the issue of careers for our firefighters – with employment contracts, the question of the social status of the firefighter and the head of the association, as well as the absence of a national firefighter command,” explained the leader of the LBP.
Regarding the device for fighting rural fires, this topic will be discussed with the Minister of Civil Protection, said António Nunez.
“Some of the proposals we have have budgetary implications and will naturally be subject to greater scrutiny during next year’s state budget meetings,” the director explained.
Only in this context “will we be able to see funds allocated” or even “changes to the IRS, IRC or TSU related to support for companies and firefighters.”
These problems “cannot be solved immediately,” acknowledged Antonio Nunez, saying that “the League has always been at the forefront of protecting firefighters because it is not just an employers’ organization” and “represents associations and fire departments.”
The responsible leader argued that in volunteer fire departments, the first person in charge of the firefighters is the commander.
“We can have active fire departments with the operational capacity to participate in the protection of their communities” only if “they have the necessary and sufficient funds to carry out their mission,” which also includes salary funding, with “dignity and career status “, – he said.
The global strategic movement of the current LBP management is to “protect the pay scale for a lucrative career for firefighters,” recalled Antonio Nunez, emphasizing that this is a government promise made back in 2007.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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