The political party Podemos has raised concerns regarding the critical lack of personnel in the Provincial Firefighters Consortium of Cádiz, highlighting that more than fifty positions remain unfilled. This situation, exacerbated by the approaching summer and the anticipated increase in the risk of fires and other emergencies, leads to significant workload strain for current staff.
According to data provided by Bomberos Unidos, the majority union within the Consortium, the vacancies stem from retirements and unfilled absences. Podemos, through its provincial spokesperson, Marina Liberato, supports the union's demands and criticizes the failure to meet commitments made in the 2022 approved Job Position Schedule (RPT), which planned for the progressive incorporation of 90 new firefighters.
"We cannot allow an essential service for public safety to continue operating based on unfulfilled promises and the permanent overexertion of workers," stated Liberato. The party emphasizes that public safety should not depend on overtime or additional risks for professionals.
Podemos warns that the progressive precariousness of the service directly impacts the response capacity to emergencies such as fires, accidents, or floods. They recall that numerous fire stations are operating with minimal staffing, a circumstance that becomes particularly acute during the summer season.
The denunciation coincides with Bomberos Unidos' recent request to halt construction work at the Chiclana fire station, due to doubts about whether the renovation will address the deficiencies they have repeatedly reported, such as exposure to diesel contamination and a single exit.
In light of this situation, the party urges the Provincial Firefighters Consortium, the Cádiz Provincial Council, and the involved administrations to urgently fill the vacancies, implement the RPT commitments, and ensure sufficient staffing across all provincial fire stations to handle the summer campaign. They also announced plans to raise this issue in institutions where the organization holds representation.
