At an event held at the Pabellón de Convenciones de la Casa de Campo, the mayor, accompanied by Deputy Mayor Inma Sanz, corps commanders, and families of the trainees, congratulated the new promotion. With an average age of 35 and including one woman among the new personnel, the mayor highlighted the pride the city's Fire Department instills in Madrid's residents, calling it 'the elite of firefighter public service in Spain'.
Martínez-Almeida emphasized the firefighters' 'responsibility' in being 'on the front line,' recalling crucial interventions such as the fire at Almacenes Arias, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Filomena storm, and various building collapses in Madrid. He praised their 'courage' and 'undoubted excellence,' even risking their 'own physical integrity to save lives,' which, in his words, solidifies them as the municipal service most valued by citizens.
The mayor highlighted his government's commitment to firefighters and other security and emergency services through a significant budget increase. This year, the budget for firefighters is almost 50% higher than in 2019, reaching 205 million euros compared to the previous 138 million. Consequently, the workforce has increased by 9.7% since 2019, with 413 new hires, exceeding the current 1,500 personnel and aiming to reach 1,750.
In the recent State of the City Debate, the consolidation of the historic reinforcement of security and emergency staff was announced, with over 2,000 new incorporations underway. For firefighters, nearly 300 additional positions are planned within the Plan 10.000, and the latest Public Employment Offer includes 160 places for the Corps.
Regarding equipment and infrastructure, improvements continue in several stations. Following the launch of the new 13th Fire Station in Vicálvaro, the second phase of the Logistics Center in La Atalayuela in Villa de Vallecas is being developed, with an investment of 11.5 million euros. Comprehensive renovations have been completed at stations like the 5th (Usera, 14.3 million) and the 9th (Fuencarral-El Pardo, 5.4 million), in addition to work at other stations and the Firefighter School.
The acquisition of new equipment and resources is another priority. New uniforms, station wear, self-contained breathing apparatus, CBRN detection systems, and thermal cameras have been added. The vehicle fleet is also being renewed under the Firefighter Fleet Operational Plan 2019-2029.
