The Regional Government of the Azores, in a work carried out by the Regional Secretariat for the Sea and Fisheries, opens on February 9, the first regional and also national training center for maritime professionals, in the Damage Limitation Park, located in the complex of the former Radio Naval Station in Horta, on the island of Faial.
This innovative centre, which will be managed by the Escola do Mar dos Açores (EMA), will train and prepare maritime professionals from the various sectors associated with the Azorean blue economy so that they can begin to perform their duties with all the knowledge, qualifications and levels of security.
With an investment of around 1.5 million Euros, the centre will have the capacity for 32 trainees at the same time, constituting a boost in the training offer and quality provided by the regional Government, by responding to the training needs of professionals linked to the blue economy, and to the other (sub)sectors of activity and services provided in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, and may also train professionals from other regions or the continent.
Supported by a teaching staff of certified trainers, the training offer of this new centre was designed with the primary objective of satisfying the identified and non-existent training needs in Preventing and Fighting Structural Fires on vessels and ships, extinguishing fires in hydrocarbons, training of fires in confined spaces, fire brigade, course of first intervention means, course of rescue and extrication, intervention in biological incidents and tamponade of leaks for maritime professionals, according to the International Convention STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and of Room Service for Seafarers).
Focused on the blue economy, fundamental in the Azores, it will also be possible, in the centre, to provide training in professional driving to diving professionals, an activity with increasing demand in the region.
Another added value of this new centre is that it can, at the same time, provide differentiated training in Fire Prevention and Fighting to various other sectors of society, such as firefighters, public and private services, industry, commercial and private establishments.
The potential recipients of this Center are professionals working in public or private entities, namely: Firefighters (initial training and training), Civil Protection; Airport agents, professional seafarers and seaports, Atlânticoline, Ports of the Azores, Azorean Municipalities, Public Security Forces, Forest Services, Public Works, Hospitals, Health Centers and other companies (transportation; workshops; private security; storage parks of fuels, fuel resellers; commerce and food industries; carpentry and mercenaries, among others).
All these professionals will find training areas in the Park, with various fire simulators for training and training with extinguishers, fire simulators in hydrocarbons in the liquid and gas phase, extinguishing fires in confined spaces such as in a ship’s engine room, in the barracks and on the bridge. There is also a training area for handling hydraulic equipment, search and rescue in confined spaces and/or at height, flooding in confined spaces and finally a tank for training and training in professional diving and diving professionals.
The defence of the Environment, and a reduced green footprint, was another of the central concerns in the construction of this park, which includes the Center, having been designed in order to minimize emissions into the atmosphere through the implementation of a flow control system of fuels for simulators and the use of low-smoke fuels, such as heptane.
The drainage and collection system of water used in training, allows it to be later decanted, proceeding to the removal of hydrocarbons and then reintroduced into the circuit. Concern for the environment also involves the creation of a rainwater collection system, so that no public water is used to supply the tanks.
In the interconnection with the local community, the Park is prepared, in case of need, to supply water to the vehicles of the local fire brigades.
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