A 75-year-old woman died after choking at her residence. The incident occurred in the area of Coruche, where the victim lived relatively close to the Municipal Firefighters' station in that town.
Despite the proximity to the station, rescue took about half an hour to arrive at the scene. The two ambulances from the Municipal Firefighters of Coruche were involved in other calls at the time the alert was given.
The five members who were on duty were assigned to the rural firefighting operation, which contributed to the delay in responding to the emergency.
The situation raises questions about the organization of civil protection resources and the capacity of firefighters to respond to medical emergencies when the operation is focused on other activities.
