Crouched with the lack of responses from the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM) on the repair or lifting of an astrite ambulance to the Volunteer Firefighters of Mértola (BVM), stop at the brand's dealer workshop in Beja, The company reported at the beginning of the month that “from 21 April we will start charging park taxes ”.
Despite the communications of the Directorate of the Humanitarian Association of BVM (AHBVM), institution that delivered the car in the workshop, INEM ignores the situation and the vehicle is still stopped on site since 12 November last year.
On 17 of December, was sent to INEM, by the direction of AHBVM, a first vehicle repair budget surrounding the 25.000 euros. You know Lidador News (LN) that the institute contacted the company to “improve” the budget aiming at a lower expense, What was done, but, Still, no response from INEM.
Past 143 DAYS WITHOUT ANSWER OF THE INSTITUTE, The company communicated to the BVM the need to remove the car from the interior of the park, since it is occupying a necessary space to repair other vehicles.
According to found the LN, The direction of AHBVM, immediately communicated to the INEM-Maintenance that “it only assumed the responsibility of removing the ambulance, if it were operational ”, having informed the company that the vehicle is the property of INEM and “it is responsible for taking over it”.
As there was no answer, a 10 April the company came back to the BVM, informing the “parking” charge. Again the firefighters' direction informed the inhem-maneuvering of the situation, but from Lisbon there was no feedback on the problem solving.
At the time the LN questioned the National Institute of Emergency Medical about the measures it would take about the car, justifying that “INEM will collect the vehicle and pay any existing responsibilities”, adding that it “is a significant age, and a volume of specific kilometers, which requires greater rigor in the evaluation and decision of the process ”, concluded.
INEM again mentioned that a multiannual process of acquisition and renewal of about 300 emergency vehicles, Remembering that “a cooperation agreement was analyzed with the Portuguese League of Firefighters, that will significantly alter the end -of -the -way financing model of INEM ”, remataram.
The corporation has been waiting since September 2019, the delivery of a new vehicle, Situation that was assumed in a letter signed by Luís Meira, where the then chairman of the Board of Directors, transmitted the information that “in 2020 a new ambulance would be attributed ”, What so far has not realized.
To respond to Codo's drives to transport urgent patients, in that which is the country's municipality with a greater dispersion of population clusters, Mértola Firefighters have used their vehicles.
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
