The work, authored by António Maranhão Peixoto and Ricardo Fernandes, gathers crucial moments from the Firefighter Sappers' journey, highlighting the protagonists who protected the population and accompanied the transformation of the municipality over several generations.
At the presentation session, the vice-president of the Braga Municipal Chamber, Altino Bessa, emphasized the publication's importance for preserving collective memory and recognizing the firefighters' contribution. He also highlighted the research work by commander Nuno Osório and the authors, as well as the study coordinated by Francisco Mendes (Institute of Social Sciences of the University of Minho), which supported the revision of the founding date to May 22, 1766.
This date places the Braga Firefighter Sappers among the first fire brigades established in Portugal, marking 260 years of history this year. Altino Bessa stressed the importance of honoring the past and preparing for the future, mentioning the reinforcement of personnel, an investment exceeding three million euros in equipment, vehicles, and training, and the institution's growing response capacity.
