The strike is due to “persistent problems with working conditions”. It will only stop when the union “is received by the mayor of Lisbon”, indicates the president of the National Union of Professional Firefighters (SNBP).
According to Sérgio Carvalho, the “regiment commander is informed of all existing situations”, considering that there are “poor management of staff, lack of planning and planning”.
For the official, the new firefighters who entered service on Thursday had to resort to the recruit’s blue helmets, “since the RSBL does not have new helmets for these elements”.
“For two years now, the firefighters who were recruits and are now in service have only received three uniforms, and they don’t have a coat for the cold, a suit for the rain, vests to man the ambulances, there is a lack of personal protective equipment”, he accused.
Among the reasons that lead the Sapadores to strike is “shortage of personnel and unmanned vehicles and some vehicles without equipment specific for several years”, in addition to facilities with “inadequate living conditions“.
Prevention service to Santa Maria heliport
Sérgio Carvalho also recalled that the Sapadores are providing a prevention service at the Santa Maria Hospital heliport, 24/24 and “so far no one knows the protocol established between RSBL, Lisbon City Council (CML) and Santa Maria Hospital“.
“There are 18 men from three barracks in Lisbon who are on guard at Santa Maria 24 hours a day. [por dia] and we don’t even know the compensation that the municipality receives for a prevention service carried out by RSBL vehicles and firefighters”, he explained, remembering that in other hospitals and areas of the country this service is paid to the entities that provide it “with very considerable amounts”.
“CML/RSBL cannot provide a free service to the Ministry of Health, when it comes to prevention and not relief”, he stressed, highlighting that preventions related to landings and take-offs from the Santa Maria Hospital heliport will be affected for the strike, “since they are not a relief service, but rather a prevention service”.
Guaranteed minimum services
During the strike period, minimum services guaranteed to ensure assistance to the population of Lisbon, assured Sérgio Carvalho, focusing the strike on prevention and inspection services, floor cleaning, among other services that do not jeopardize assistance.
“Rescue services will only be effectively carried out with vehicles that are actually equipped, while all other unequipped vehicles that are in good condition will not be considered as vehicles counted for rescue purposes”, states a note from the SNBP.
Regarding professional training, only that relating to promotion courses for RSBL firefighters will be guaranteed.
“Asituation and the absence of concrete measures“
The SNBP emphasizes that all situations have already been exposed to the RSBL, “there being a commitment that these situations would be resolved”. However, “in view of the drag of situations and the absence of concrete measures“, it was decided to proceed with a strike notice “automatically renewed every month”.
Sérgio Carvalho also recalled that, “in the last four years, the municipality transferred 8 million euros to the Regiment, without refusing any requested transfer value, but the truth is that there is a lack of essential goods for the fire service“.
“Only poor internal management and profound disorganization can justify the delay in the acquisition of uniforms, PPE, coats, rain suits and the creation of living conditions in all barracks for all firefighters and not just in some barracks that have undergone construction, while others remain in precarious conditions”, he criticized.
The union leader also warned of the “great controversy regarding the way in which the evaluation system is applied” in the Regiment, adding that many firefighters “only became aware of the evaluation objectives for the year 2025 in the month of October 2025, when the year is already ending”.
