Lisbon Firefighter Unrest: Unveiling the Tensions Between Volunteer and Professional Corps

Tensions Rise Among Lisbon Firefighters

Three professional firefighter unions have called for firm action from the Lisbon City Council following the assault of a volunteer firefighter on a sub-chief from the municipal fire brigade. They have reported a climate of confrontation and operational interference that compromises emergency response efforts.

The Municipal Workers’ Union of Lisbon (STML), representing members of the Regiment of Sapadores Bombeiros (RSB), alongside the National Association of Professional Firefighters (ANBP) and the National Union of Professional Firefighters (SNBP), have expressed concerns about ongoing disrespect towards professional firefighters by various volunteer corps in Lisbon, which they claim is endangering public safety.

In a letter addressed to the mayor, Carlos Moedas, and shared with the Civil Protection Councilor, Ângelo Pereira, STML president Nuno Almeida requested an urgent meeting following the recent violent incident involving a volunteer. The unions emphasized that this serious and unprecedented aggression is symptomatic of a long-standing institutional clash and insubordination from volunteer firefighters.

“This ongoing confrontation jeopardizes the effectiveness of the emergency services that the RSB is obliged to provide to the city and its residents,” they stated, referencing a serious incident last August during a fire on the A5 highway. They noted a consistent disregard for the guidelines from the Commander of Emergency Operations (COS), which further exacerbates potential inefficiencies in emergency responses across Lisbon.

Both ANBP and SNBP condemned the operational interferences by some volunteer firefighters and criticized the public silence from the Lisbon City Council and the RSB leadership regarding these repeated incidents targeting professional firefighters. They attributed the disrespect from certain volunteer corps to the inactivity of the current councilor and the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC).

The unions emphasized that the responsibility for emergency operations in Lisbon lies with its professional firefighting corps, and they reiterated the need for the city government to intervene to restore order. They are also calling for swift clarification on operational responsibilities and legal compliance from the volunteer firefighters of Campo de Ourique.

Moreover, ANBP and SNBP are advocating for legal action against the assailants involved in the recent attack. The Lusa news agency has reached out to the Lisbon City Council for comments on the measures being considered following the assault, seeking clarity on operational command within the city's firefighting services, but has yet to receive a response.