The Fire Department of the Community of Madrid carried out 4,167 interventions in traffic accidents on the region’s roads in 2024, a 17% increase from the previous year. This was announced today by the Minister of Environment, Agriculture, and Interior, Carlos Novillo, during the first day of the ‘XI Internal Traffic Accident Rescue Meeting’ that started today at our local Fire Department and will end tomorrow, Tuesday.
Novillo also mentioned that «31 people lost their lives on the roads of the Community of Madrid last year, and 934 injured were treated,» emphasizing that «these meetings are essential to provide citizens with a more effective service by implementing various techniques and advances in these types of rescues.»
Also present at today’s opening session were the acting Mayor, Marta Martín, the Director General of Emergencies, Pablo Cristóbal, and the Councilor for Security, Civil Protection, Emergencies, and Mobility, Carlos Rodrigo.
Training and Exercise Sessions
This year, firefighters from Alcobendas, Alcalá de Henares, Alcorcón, Coslada, and Madrid are participating in the meeting, and Fire Departments of the Generalitat of Catalonia and the Provincial Consortium of Toledo have been invited.
Over two days, a total of 27 scenarios will be recreated, simulating traffic accidents with trapped individuals who need to be rescued by the participating firefighting teams. They will be evaluated by the Fire Department of the Community of Madrid and representatives of the Professional Association of Traffic Accident Rescue (APRAT).
The team with the highest score will represent the Community of Madrid at the ‘National Traffic Accident Rescue Meeting’ to be held in Cartagena (Murcia) in May.
Tribute to the Fallen Firefighters in Alcorcón
During the event, a small tribute was also paid to Sergio Benavente and Jesús Aguilar, the two firefighters from the Alcorcón Fire Department who tragically passed away on April 2 during firefighting operations in a garage in the locality. The Minister presented a commemorative trophy to representatives of this fire department.
