Azores firefighter associations reject ANA airport service proposal

Aeroportos de Portugal (ANA) has proposed that firefighter associations in the Azores form a consortium to provide emergency services at managed airports starting in March 2027. This proposal has been rejected by the firefighter associations of Ponta Delgada, Faial, and Santa Cruz das Flores.

Leaders of the associations argue that a consortium is unfeasible due to the unique insular reality of the Azores. João Paulo Medeiros, president of the Ponta Delgada Volunteer Firefighters, noted that the logistical challenges of moving personnel between islands make it impossible to meet the proposed requirements. Other local leaders, including José Braia Ferreira of the Faial Volunteer Firefighters and Carlos Silva of the Santa Cruz das Flores Volunteer Firefighters, also expressed that the proposal lacks practical sense and does not reflect the local reality.