FARO CÂMARA gave Faro municipal bombeiros 40,000 euros worth of protective clothing for their 124th birthday, which they celebrated last Wednesday.
The firemen blew out 124 candles, with fire extinguishers nearby just in case and thanked the câmara for the generous gift of an assortment of masks, helmets, fire retardant suits and breathing apparatus.
The bombeiros demonstrated some of their drills and rescue methods in the centre of Faro alongside the marina. They also showed the crowds how they tended to accident victims and performed first aid.
The Faro municipal bombeiros division was founded in 1882 and, until 1969, was composed solely of volunteers. One of the largest operations they were involved in was the 1992 plane crash at Faro airport, where they headed up the entire rescue response and contained the scene in an effort to reduce more fatalities and injuries.
Today, it has a team of 30 volunteers and 60 full-time professional firemen, who are currently raising funds to purchase more vehicles. This will allow them to reach scenes where they have been called faster and in doing so save more people.
