In a statement, the institute said that the building's work, budgeted at 1.8 million Euros, will integrate the Citadel of Security and Civil Protection of Loulé, next to the A22.

In this complex, the Loulé Municipal Fire Station, the Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command and the helipad are already installed, where the INEM helicopter is permanently.

“This new equipment is the result of interadministrative cooperation between the municipality and INEM and aims to respond to the entire region of the Algarve, helping INEM to fulfil its mission more effectively”, reads the note.

Cited in another statement released by the Chamber of Loulé, the mayor, Vítor Aleixo, says that the municipality has made “a major investment, both financial and human” in the areas of civil protection, research and health.

“With the covid-19 pandemic, we are all more aware of the importance of planning and prevention in these areas, so the presence of INEM in Loulé will reinforce our commitment and also benefit the entire region, due to its more central location”, he stresses .

Among other things, the building will have a training centre, regional coordination office, nursing coordination office, Urgent Patients Orientation Centre (CODU) and CODU support office, as well as facilities for the logistics and operations area.

The expected execution time for the construction of the building that will house the facilities at INEM in the Algarve is 600 days.