The second group of the “Patrulha Baião” project, part of the Youth Volunteering for Nature and Forestry programme promoted by the Portuguese Institute for Sport and Youth (IPDJ), which will be in the field from the 14th to the 28th, underwent a training session on August 7th, where they were taught how to act in the event of fire or suspicious situations, as well as how to collect rubbish and raise public awareness, among other actions within the scope of the programme. The young people were also given equipment and material to support their mission.
The training, which took place at the Municipal Library, was given by the coordinator of the Municipal Civil Protection Office; the commanders of the municipality’s two fire brigades, Baião and Santa Marinha do Zêzere; GNR agents from the Nature and Environmental Protection Service (SEPNA); as well as officials from the municipality’s environmental sector; and a representative from the Eco Simbioses Association, the project’s partner environmental organisation.
Filipe Fonseca, the deputy mayor and councillor responsible for Civil Protection, stressed the programme’s added value for the defence of our forests and the environment, highlighting and praising the importance of the participation of young people who, “in this way, make a difference by getting involved, enriching their civic education and making a commitment to nature. In this way too, with this work by our young people, we are protecting the present and creating solid foundations for an ever-better future for everyone,” the mayor emphasised, thanking those involved.
With a total of 30 young people enrolled, the project involves dividing the participants into groups of two, according to the Municipal Operational Plan (POM) for Forest Fire Defence, a document that defines the guidelines for strategic parking locations, sectors of activity, timetables and the composition of the teams responsible for surveillance and detection, first intervention, firefighting, aftermath and post-fire surveillance.
As part of the Youth Volunteering for Nature and the Forest programme, another group of young people will be formed to “patrol” the Baião area between 29 August and 12 September, when the project ends. The young people will receive a monetary grant as a way of recognising and valuing their contribution.
Applications are still open for eligible candidates. Those interested can register via the IPDJ Platform.
