The Barcelona Fire Service and Port de Barcelona have signed an agreement on the exercise of their respective responsibilities relating to civil protection, prevention, fire extinction and rescue. The goal is to increase safety at the port, and consequently in the rest of the city. The two institutions have been working together since 1995 to guarantee safety in the manipulation of dangerous goods and on fire prevention and extinction.
The agreement regulates the compensation from the port for these services, such as the acquisition of new firefighting equipment and vehicles, which are made available to the Barcelona Fire Service. This represents an investment of 2.4 million euros for the full duration of the agreement.
Training, also to be covered by the port budget, will be geared towards theoretical and practical knowledge on everything which is specific to the port and fighting fires on commercial and passenger vessels.
The same agreement provides for a monitoring commission between command posts with the Barcelona Fire Service, those in charge of the Directorate for Corporate Safety and the Department for Conservation at the port, along with the representatives from the Barcelona Harbourmaster’s Authority.
The commission will meet at least six times a year, assessing the characteristics for the equipment and vehicles and their distribution. If necessary, it will monitor the activity and training planned and the status of new projects at the port and the terminals and companies in the port services area.
The first collaboration agreement between Port de Barcelona and the Barcelona Fire Service was signed in April 1995. The experience of these 27 years has been highly satisfactory and enriching for both parties, with clearly positive results.