The Funchal Volunteer Firefighters Company, along with the Fire Departments of Calheta, Câmara de Lobos, and Santana, have integrated personnel who participated in specialized training. This initiative stems from a cooperation protocol signed in October 2025 between the Regional Civil Protection Services of Madeira and the Azores, aiming to share knowledge, operational experience, and training resources.
This partnership has already enabled the qualification of the first BREC trainers from Madeira at the Chilean Firefighters Academy, alongside their Azorean counterparts. The new regional capability aligns with the international INSARAG doctrine and is part of a broader strategy to establish a Medium Urban Search and Rescue (MUSAR) module.
The project includes specialized training, team organization, operational procedure definition, drills, and the acquisition of technical and personal protective equipment, with the goal of creating conditions for a structured, safe, and interoperable response. This new capability will enhance regional intervention in cases of structural collapses, mass movements, and other complex incidents.
The Funchal Volunteer Firefighters Company will operate this specialized capability, supported by the first-response teams from the various Fire Departments of Madeira and Porto Santo. This model is part of the strategy to develop an integrated operational response matrix, based on the specialization and complementarity of Fire Departments.
Richard Marques, President of SRPC, IP-RAM, highlighted that this investment represents a strategic evolution, focused on building a multifaceted operational capability for Madeira and Porto Santo, based on specialization, complementarity, and networking. He also emphasized the importance of cooperation between the two Autonomous Regions, which accelerates the development of complementary capabilities, crucial given the challenges of insularity.
SRPC, IP-RAM will continue to invest in training, drills, and technical re-equipment, progressively consolidating this new specialized capability for a more robust Regional Civil Protection System prepared for the risks faced by Madeira and Porto Santo.
