Our team in Portugal, Beira Interior has participated in an initiative together with Instituto de la Movilidad y los Transportes (IMT) and the Autoridade Nacional de Emergência e Proteção Civil (ANEPC), to strengthen the response capacity of the fire departments operating in the Gardunha Tunnel, Covilhã, Fundão, and Castelo Branco, in the event of emergencies involving hazardous materials.

This initiative is part of a broader institutional effort, promoted at the national level, with the participation of public entities and our concessionaire, whose objective is to guarantee the highest safety standards in critical infrastructure.

In this context, and within the framework of the process of updating the classification of the Gardunha Tunnel, which will allow the passage of trucks transporting hazardous materials, our team supported the implementation of specific 35 hours training for 40 firefighters from the Covilhã, Castelo Branco, and Fundão fire departments.

During the practical exercise taking place in a tunnel on Madeira Island.

The training was delivered on February 23 and March 2 by a team of 15 trainers from the National Fire School (ENB) and included a theoretical component, a technical-practical phase for familiarizing participants with equipment and procedures, and finally, exercises in realistic tunnel scenarios, focusing on reconnaissance, firefighting, and search and rescue operations.

These drills were conducted in a tunnel located on the island of Madeira, with the collaboration of Madeira Regional Civil Protection Service

In addition to supporting this training, our Beira Interior team has also contributed to the acquisition of protective equipment for the fire department, specifically designed for these types of interventions.

This action equips emergency teams with the necessary skills and resources to operate in highly complex environments, such as incidents in underground infrastructure involving hazardous materials, where response times and technical expertise are critical factors.

Experience in these types of scenarios demonstrates that prior preparation and coordination between entities are crucial for mitigating risks, protecting people, and preserving infrastructure.

With this initiative, our team reinforces its commitment to road safety, the resilience of our assets, and the protection of the communities in which we operate, contributing to a more effective, coordinated, and safe response to emergency situations.