Formentera fire brigade responds to 213 incidents in 2019

bombers--1-1The interior department of the Consell de Formentera reports that the island’s brigade of firefighters were deployed 213 times in 2019—30 more than the previous year. Of 31 fire-related interventions, 31 were in response to fires—three of which affected forests and nine of which were classified as agricultural. The former represented a total burned area of 0.17 hectares (ha) and the latter 5.12ha, for a total 5.29ha of scorched land. The remaining blazes involved homes (seven), street furniture (six) and vehicles (six). All told, the brigade put out six more fires than last year.

Seventeen cases involved aid and rescue: seven traffic accidents, seven individuals and three animals.

Technical interventions like removing fallen trees from roads, street cleaning, and others involving urban utilities amounted to 52 of the brigade’s actions. Ninety-three of the interventions were preventive; most were related to patrols (78), and 20 involved false alarms.

Interior councillor Josep Marí underscored the efforts of the island’s firefighting team, drawing particular attention to “the rapid response of the brigade and of Ibanat personnel” in two fires last year in La Mola. Marí highlighted the collaboration of the civil defense corps, law enforcement and the Operative Unit of the Balearic emergency division, who worked together to respond to multiple emergencies across the island.

9 January 2020
Department of Communication
Consell de Formentera