Fire training school in Maestrazgo region awaits action on 2021 funding proposal
Iain Hoey
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Proposal for Maestrazgo fire training school reintroduced by Socialist Parliamentary Group
The Socialist Parliamentary Group in the Cortes of Aragon has submitted a non-legislative motion calling on the Government of Aragon to resume work on a proposed fire prevention and civil protection training school in La Iglesuela del Cid, located in the Maestrazgo region.
As reported by La Comarca, the group has also announced plans to raise a question about the project’s current status with Minister Bermúdez de Castro during the next plenary session.
The project was included in the 2021 Teruel Investment Fund (FITE) with an allocation of €125,000.
The original proposal was put forward by La Iglesuela del Cid Town Hall, which claims to have received no response from the Government of Aragon about the state of the project.
The funds were expected to be spent between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2024.
Local officials express concern over project delays
Mayor of La Iglesuela del Cid Fernando Safont stated that the Town Hall attempted to follow up on the project in 2023 due to lack of progress.
Safont said: “They haven’t answered us. We requested a meeting with the Minister of the Presidency and we still haven’t heard from them.”
Safont said that the municipality submitted a grant request in July 2021 and was later visited by representatives of the Government of Aragon to assess the proposed site.
He added: “Everything seemed fine to them.”
He also noted: “The FITE is intended to generate development and achieve social cohesion, growth and social well-being for the inhabitants of the area.
“El Maestrazgo is the most sparsely populated region in the province of Teruel, and the training school would be, among the many things that can be achieved here, a turning point.”
Regional leaders seek revival in future funding cycles
The president of the Maestrazgo region also criticised delays and the lack of implementation of funds that had been committed to the area.
He said that if the fire training school had been built, it could have helped counteract the effects of the closure of the Marie Claire branch in Vilafranca.
He called for the initiative to be included in future FITE calls.
The Socialist group said the project had been reviewed and approved by the Aragonese Executive’s Audit Service and met the criteria of a “tractor” project.
The group also highlighted that in December 2023, the current Government of Aragon reaffirmed the project’s place in the 2021 FITE framework during discussions with the Government of Spain.
Project intended to support fire and civil protection training in rural Aragon
The training school proposal aims to improve practical training opportunities for emergency response services and citizens in fire prevention and civil protection, with an emphasis on forest fire management.
Member of Parliament Ángel Peralta stated: “To meet this training need, we need to work in territorial areas with physical characteristics suitable for the activities covered by the Catalogue of Civil Protection Regulations.
“And La Iglesuela del Cid and the Maestrazgo meet these requirements.”
The facility would be equipped to support forest fire simulation exercises and forest management training.
It would use nearby public forests for practical activities due to their location, accessibility and terrain.
Peralta said: “The public forests of La Iglesuela del Cid are not only located very close to the town centre, which facilitates the transport of materials and personnel to burning areas or other practical exercises, but they also boast a diverse network of forest trails, plant formations and optimal topography for practical training in sustainable forest management.”
The FITE funds are intended for adapting a building for theoretical and practical training purposes.
Fire training school in Maestrazgo region awaits action on 2021 funding proposal: Summary
The Socialist Parliamentary Group in Aragon has submitted a motion to restart a stalled fire prevention and civil protection training school project in La Iglesuela del Cid.
The initiative was allocated €125,000 through the 2021 Teruel Investment Fund.
Local authorities report no progress or government communication since the grant’s approval.
The mayor and regional president have requested its reinstatement in future FITE calls.
The proposed school would provide training in emergency response and forest fire prevention, using local public forests for practical sessions.
The Government of Aragon approved the project again in December 2023, but implementation remains pending.
The facility is intended to serve as a regional centre for fire prevention and civil protection training.
