PONTA DELGADA, Azores — The President of the Socialist Party of the Azores (PS Açores), Francisco César, has announced that the party will seek answers and accountability from ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal over new tenders for airport emergency and rescue services, warning that the proposed conditions could jeopardize the financial sustainability of the Azores’ volunteer fire departments and undermine a vital component of airport safety.
Following a meeting last Friday with the Ponta Delgada Volunteer Firefighters Association, Francisco César expressed serious concern over what he described as procurement requirements that are unrealistic for non-profit humanitarian organizations that have provided airport rescue and emergency services for decades.
“After years of protecting passengers, airport workers, and critical infrastructure, our firefighters are now being confronted with tenders that impose disproportionate requirements, lack transparency, and threaten to remove an essential source of revenue that helps sustain these organizations,” César said. “ANA must explain its intentions and ensure that airport safety is not placed at risk.”
According to the firefighters’ association, the new procurement process introduces significantly higher financial and operational obligations, including substantial bank guarantees, mandatory civil liability insurance valued at €5 million, additional training and equipment requirements, and contractual termination clauses that create long-term uncertainty for the participating organizations.
The associations estimate that complying with all tender requirements could cost between €12 million and €15 million over a five-year period, making participation financially infeasible for volunteer fire departments that operate as non-profit humanitarian institutions.
Francisco César argued that it is unacceptable for ANA to shift additional responsibilities and financial burdens onto organizations that already perform an essential public safety function without providing the resources necessary to meet those obligations.
“This is not simply a problem for the firefighters,” he stated. “It is a problem for all of us. When the emergency services that protect our airports are placed at risk, the safety of passengers, workers, and the public is also placed at risk.”
The PS leader announced that the Socialist Party will introduce initiatives in the Portuguese Parliament to demand clarification from ANA regarding the criteria used in the ongoing tenders, the future role of humanitarian fire associations, and the guarantees that airport rescue and emergency services will continue to meet the highest standards of safety and operational readiness.
Beyond the immediate concerns surrounding the airport contracts, Francisco César said the situation highlights the broader financial challenges faced by volunteer fire departments throughout the Azores. Many associations, he noted, continue to struggle with rising operational costs and are often forced to rely on bank financing simply to meet payroll and tax obligations.
For that reason, he reiterated the Socialist Party’s commitment to pursuing a more sustainable funding model for humanitarian fire associations. In the Azores Regional Parliament, the PS will continue advocating for new financing mechanisms and a revised support framework, while at the municipal level the party will defend multi-year funding agreements that provide fair, predictable, and stable financial support for volunteer fire departments.
Volunteer firefighter associations have long played a critical role in the Azores’ emergency response network, providing not only airport rescue services but also firefighting, medical emergencies, civil protection, and disaster response throughout the islands. The concerns raised over ANA’s new procurement model have therefore expanded beyond a contractual dispute, prompting broader questions about the future sustainability of one of the Region’s most important public safety institutions.
Based on a press release- photo from PS-Açores.