Around a hundred firefighters from six fire brigades across the Valencian Community gathered in Orihuela on Friday during the plenary session of the Consell, to protest against the creation of the new Valencian Emergency Unit (UVE).
They had been gathering since early morning in front of the Marqués de Rafal Palace, wearing helmets and vests, while carrying red smoke flares, banners, drums, and loud whistles, against the backdrop of the shrill sound of fire tender sirens.
The Valencian President Ximo Puig was protected by an umbrella as he attempted to enter the Palace under a hail of eggs, thrown at him by the protesters, although the vice president of the Consell, Aitana Mas, did stop to listen to their demands, as she too arrived outside the historic mansion in Oriole.
Many other ministers, however, chose not to run the gauntlet of protesters, as they decided on discretion, by entering the building through a back door.
The firefighters claim that the new body will be a waste of public money and will actually hinder coordination during emergencies.
Josep Palacios, a sergeant with the Alicante Fire Consortium, said that the UVE “clashes with the functions of the consortium of firefighters. The decree does not have any technical criteria and a ‘duplicity’ will be created between the two bodies that will see an increase in discord”.
“Neither” he added, “has the structure of the new organisation been agreed upon by any of the consortiums nor any of the councils that are also directly involved.”
Sergeant Javier García Miñano, also from Alicante, said “Instead of working to unify the six existing Fire Brigades, they want to create a seventh corps, that will cause, apart from the enormous waste, a total lack of coordination in dealing with emergencies.”
Despite the noisy protests and the fact that all of the fire unions in the Valencian Community remain firmly opposed to the creation of the Valencian Emergency Unit, the formation of the new body was nevertheless approved by ministers inside the building.
In a statement the Generalitat said that the creation of the UVE has the objective of guaranteeing rapid intervention across all parts of the Valencian Community; it will remain permanently active, and collaborate with the rest of the emergency services to ensure protection within the framework of the National and European Civil Protection System.
Among its functions will be the extinction of forest fires, the intervention in emergencies of a meteorological origin, in seismic emergencies and tidal waves, and cooperation in situations of social emergency under the direction of the competent bodies.
Last summer saw an increase in the number of forest fires across the community. There were multiple wildfires that resulted in the devastation of many thousands of hectares. The Valencian Government considers that climate change will see such fires becoming even more prevalent in the coming years and as such, the rapid support provided by the Valencian Emergency Unit, will ensure a better response to those affected areas.
