Madeira will have a second Civil Protection helicopter starting October 1st, which will act as the initial response unit for rural fires. The aircraft, operated by Helibravo, will remain on the island until November 30th.
Due to its agility and versatility, the new helicopter can take off in under ten minutes and reach any part of the island within 20 minutes of an alert. The aircraft can carry five firefighters and a pilot. The existing helicopter will remain available for firefighting but will primarily focus on search and rescue while the second is in service.
Micaela Fonseca de Freitas, Regional Secretary for Health and Civil Protection, emphasized the importance of this reinforcement for Madeira's response capacity, despite its arrival being later than planned. The Regional Government aims to have a second aircraft available from the start of the critical summer period in 2027.
