The Cachopo Air Assembly Center, in the municipality of Tavira (Algarve), was formally inaugurated this Friday, marking the 137th anniversary of the municipal firefighters, although it was already in operation, the mayor said.
Subject to remodeling works that should have been completed in late 2023, the Center now has a new building to host operational and GNR operational operating operations that are part of the Special Algarve Fire Fighting device, as well as the drivers of the helicopter that is based on a dog between May and the mayor of Tavira, Ana Paula Martins.
The mayor explained that, first, the pandemic and, then, the consequences of the war in Ukraine made it difficult to perform the work, which “dragged on 2024” and is now “practically completed”, missing only “small adjustments” that do not prevent the functioning of the new building and the deactivation of containers that temporarily served as a support point.
The center is located in Serra Algarvia, about 40 kilometers from the city of Tavira and the coast, but was during the period of works with the helicopter to work, “although very temporary, because the work was still in the final phase of finishes,” said Ana Paula Martins.
“It has been working, but today we decided to make the celebrations [cerimónia e almoço] because today is the day of the 137th anniversary of [de Tavira] And, as we had not made a formal inauguration, we understand that we should do it, ”said the mayor.
The mayor of Tavira said that, as until last summer, there were works that “were not completed”, there had not yet been “conditions” to do the inauguration “and, now, already with the provisional reception of the work done, the inauguration was made.
“And we understand that today, on the day our firefighters, our Municipal Body of Firefighters is 137 years old, would be a good time to make this formal inauguration,” he argued.
In addition to the delays motivated by the lack of material derived from the war in Ukraine, the work was also hampered by the “lack of staff to work in construction”, noted Ana Paula Martins.
“It is ready to work, has all the conditions, can be able to welcome, even because it has bedrooms with bed, with camarats, has a kitchen, has a functional space, has room for the pilot, so it has all the conditions to have the device here,” he said.
Ana Paula Martins hopes that the investment made in the renewal of the air media center, which also introduced improvements in the landing track, may allow the placement of a helicopter in a dog throughout the year, all year round, instead of only in the months of the fire fighting device.
“What we expect is that we can have the permanent helicopter in the future. Even because Cachop is 40 kilometers from the city and the response to fire situations, or even emergency in terms of health, is always difficult,” he said.
The intervention at the Cachopo Air Cost Center had an investment of 2.6 million euros and was funded with Community Funds of Luso-Spanish Transfronho Cooperation Program Interreg, stated the mayor, also stating the importance of the project for the Alentejo-Algarve-Algarve European Europe.
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