In a statement, the Ministry of Internal Administration (MAI) said that this year’s financial directive was approved by the Government and recorded several changes compared to 2019, one of which was the increase in the amount of daily amounts to be transferred to firefighters, from €50 to €54.
According to MAI, this figure corresponds to an increase of 8 percent in relation to 2019 and aims to “compensate the special availability of the firefighters and the financial fragility in which they find themselves, in the context of combating the Covid-19 pandemic”.
The financial directive for 2020 is the annual document that regulates the State’s contribution to expenses resulting from interventions by fire departments under the three permanent provisions of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), namely the Integrated Protection Operations Device and Relief (DIOPS), Special Rural Fire Fighting Device (DECIR) and Joint Protection and Relief Device in Serra da Estrela (DICSE).
MAI also stresses that the financial directive for this year also contemplates an increase of 10 percent in the value of the contribution with food for the personnel of the fire brigades and now includes these expenses in the period of activation of the DICSE.
The Ministry, under Eduardo Cabrita, underlines that, within the scope of the National Operations Plan for the coronavirus, of the ANEPC, the expenses resulting from the activation of the relief and health support device were included in the financial directive.
According to MAI, expenses incurred on logistical support bases are also covered, in order to guarantee compliance with the rules established to reduce the risk of contagion and the spread of the Covid-19 disease.
DECIR 2020 foresees a mobilisation of 11,827 operatives during the most critical period of fires and the greatest commitment of means, between 1 July and 30 September, of which 5,660 are firefighters.
The MAI also indicates that, in 2019, expenditure on fire brigade personnel, within the scope of DECIR, amounted to around €26 million, while expenditure on food totalled around €800,000.
Last year, expenses with vehicle replacements and repairs, as well as expenses from damage to equipment, amounted to approximately €7.5 million.
The financial directive, which came into force at midnight on 15 May, was approved by the Secretary of State for Internal Administration, Patrícia Gaspar, after hearing the Portuguese Firefighters League.