The Federation of Firefighters of the Lisboa District considered it "unsustainable and unacceptable" that the Humanitarian Associations of Firefighters continue to fully bear successive fuel price increases, demanding compensatory measures from the Government to halt the impact on the operational accounts of the corporations. The representative body warned that, unlike other expenses, fuel cannot be reduced or postponed when protection and rescue missions are at stake, since ambulances, firefighting vehicles and other resources must remain available on a daily basis.
The Federation argues that the financing mechanisms for associations do not keep pace with the rate of cost increases, and that besides fuel, energy, vehicle maintenance, equipment, insurance, facilities and human resources have also been pressuring accounts. When an association spends a few more thousand euros per year on fuel, that amount ends up being taken from other essential areas, such as maintenance and replacement of vehicles, acquisition of equipment, training of firefighters or improvement of facilities.
The Federation's position points to a contradiction between the demands placed on the corporations and the financial resources made available, arguing that it is not possible to demand high levels of readiness and permanent response capacity while expecting associations to indefinitely absorb successive increases in operational costs. The body calls for the updating of financing mechanisms in accordance with actually incurred costs, the creation of a specific compensation mechanism for extraordinary fuel price increases and a structural review of the financing model that allows for greater predictability and consideration of the real costs of operating emergency fleets.
The appeal concludes with the affirmation that when an ambulance leaves for an emergency, fuel cannot be a financial question, and must always be available. The Federation intends for the State to recognize the specificity of the sector and implement concrete and structural measures that ensure sustainability for the institutions responsible for the protection and rescue of populations, rather than ad hoc responses when a particular association reaches a critical financial situation.
