"Sometimes we experience situations that stay with us for life"

As a child, José said he wanted to be a policeman, but then he grew up watching his older brother, a member of the Alcoutim fire brigade since its foundation 40 years ago, coming and going from home in uniform. In addition, the school he attended was next to the place where the fire engines were kept. The daily proximity to operations, hearing the sirens and seeing the cars leaving in response to an incident, fascinated him to such an extent that as soon as the alarm signalling an emergency sounded, he would ‘run away’ from school to watch. "Those were different times, today that wouldn't happen. Fortunately, there were never any problems, but it was dangerous," he acknowledges. 

This daily contact with the routine of the ‘soldiers of peace’ influenced him deeply. Living in this environment of constant adrenaline and respect for the work of firefighters led him to follow the same path, without ever expecting anything in return. 

The Alcoutim Fire Brigade operates mainly in the municipality but, if necessary, will come to the rescue anywhere in the Algarve or even the country. These “soldiers” go wherever they are most needed. In the Algarve, explains the commander, “collaboration between the various fire brigades is essential: one person’s problem is everyone’s problem. If there is a fire in Monchique, we go to Monchique. In the event of large fires, assistance is coordinated at regional level and whoever is needed goes, according to proximity and the defined scales”. 

A firefighter since the age of 17, José Ribeiros feels fulfilled and happy to contribute to the safety of people and the country

In an emergency, there is so much at stake that requires careful but quick management of situations, so the tension is enormous. "When we are the first to arrive at a fire, there are many initial concerns: identifying sensitive points such as people, houses or access points; assessing the fuel present, such as brush or trees; and coordinating the teams that are arriving, meanwhile notified by radio. The first half hour is particularly critical, as we are still assessing the terrain and deciding on the best strategies to follow. Gradually, with a defined structure, in which some focus on fighting the fire, others on logistics and others on planning, the operation becomes more effective," he explains. 

In addition, they offer other types of support, such as non-urgent transport of patients, and establish partnerships with other institutions, such as Odiana, the Association for the Development of the Lower Guadiana, with which they have been developing activities with the community, and Galp, which operates one of the largest solar photovoltaic parks in the country in Alcoutim, to which they provide security assistance. 

The important role of volunteers

Running a fire brigade is no easy task, especially when it is a volunteer unit. In an ageing municipality such as Alcoutim, with a population of approximately 2,500, where more than 60% of the inhabitants are over 60 years old, there is a severe shortage of young people available to join the brigade. 

Currently, the Alcoutim Fire Brigade has 25 permanent members and between 12 and 15 additional volunteers. But there should be more. According to José Ribeiros, there is a shortfall of around 8 to 10 people. Although professionalising all members could help and be a solution, volunteers would always be needed. “Volunteering is a vital complement. However, the number of volunteers is steadily declining. The situation is even more challenging due to the fact that, in the past, most firefighters were from the village, whereas now many live 30 or 40 kilometres away. Although technology, such as WhatsApp groups and SMS, helps with coordination, the difficulty remains. Often, those who call the fire brigade expect them to be professionals, which puts additional pressure on volunteers, who try to act with the utmost professionalism, even when they work during the day and can only be on call or available at night, which can be a considerable additional effort, since the next day, many need to resume their usual professional activities," José emphasises, lamenting the meagre funding for firefighter associations. 

The life of a commander beyond the fire station

A father of two children, a 22-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy, José already has at least one potential follower, as his little boy proudly wears the uniform. "This year, we started a cadet school, an old project that brings together a series of activities and is going very well. In a place where there aren't many children, we weren't expecting the turnout we had, with almost 30 children and young people between the ages of 5 and 18." Essentially, it is a way of attracting the younger generation to one of the most noble professions in the world, although it is not always easy to reconcile with personal and family life, which ends up having to be managed practically by the minute, as it depends on external events that are impossible to control.

In fact, when we scheduled the interview with José for a hot afternoon in early August, we knew in advance that it could be postponed or interrupted at any moment if there was a call for help at that time. Fortunately, this did not happen and there was still time to accompany this captain to one of his favourite hobbies: fishing.

In his limited free time, José enjoys numismatics (coin collecting), especially on winter evenings. In the summer, he spends some of his leisure time riding his motorbike and fishing. 

Whenever he can, after leaving the fire station, which on a normal day is around 5-6 pm, José changes out of his uniform and, fully equipped and rod in hand, heads to the Alcoutim dam in search of a good bass. When luck is on his side and the fish bites, he has lunch or dinner guaranteed. On winter evenings, he prefers to collect coins. And as he doesn't like to sit still, this 47-year-old Alcoutim native still finds time to devote himself, now as vice-president, to the Alcoutim Sports Group, having joined the governing bodies because his daughter was a canoeist, but ended up staying. ‘You end up developing a taste for it,’ he admits. Although he does not practise the sport himself, he has paddled up the river a few times for leisure. Last year, he organised the 1st Guadiana International Canoeing Cup, which attracted around 400 participants, and is already working on the second edition. 

Deeply and intensely connected to his homeland and its people, José Ribeiros finds a source of motivation in the Guadiana and it is an inseparable part of his identity: ‘When I go two or three days without seeing the river, I miss it. I can't imagine living anywhere else.’