Portugal celebrates today, September 11, National Professional Firefighter Day, a date that since 2008 honors the courage and dedication of the thousands of firefighters who risk their lives daily in the defense of people and property. The choice of September 11 is linked to the memory of the operational personnel who died in the rescue efforts following the World Trade Center attacks in 2001, and in Portugal it also coincides with the remembrance of the tragic railway accident at Alcafache in 1985.
This year's celebrations are not limited to public tribute, also encompassing fundamental debates for the sector. The priorities under discussion include the regulation of careers and professional status, psychosocial support for operational personnel in the face of accumulated emotional strain, and the increased representation and leadership of women in fire brigades across the country.
Throughout the national territory, the day is marked by parades, moments of tribute to firefighters killed in service, and meetings of representative structures of the profession. The Companhia de Bombeiros Sapadores de Viana do Castelo commemorated the date with a tribute publication on their social media, on the Facebook page.
