The firefighters begin the inspections of the systems of extinction of the buildings in height to guarantee their operation

Members of the Baixa Marina Fire Consortium have started the inspections of the extinction systems of the high-rise buildings in Benidorm to certify that they are in good condition and thus guarantee their correct operation in case of fire. These inspections are being done based on the protocol drawn up by the Provincial Council of Alicante, the City Council and the administrators of the city's farms, and focus on the so-called 'dry columns': an exclusive use of firefighters that carries the water to all floors of the building and that is key in case of fire to act more quickly and safely.

The mayor, Toni Pérez; the provincial deputy of Emergencies, Jaime Lloret; the Councilor for Citizen Security, Lorenzo Martínez; and the Chief Petty Officer of the Regional Park of Firemen, Santiago Rivera; They have followed closely this first inspection, which was carried out in a building over 20 heights on Montecarlo Avenue.

The deputy Jaime Lloret indicated that these inspections are "a claim of firefighters for a long time", since, in a city with the concentration of skyscrapers presented by Benidorm, the fact that "the dry column works well is essential to give more security to the troops and to solve the emergency more quickly ".

The councilman of Security detailed that "the idea is to review until the end of the year about 50 buildings", and clarified that the inspections will be made outside the high season so as not to interfere in the services of the Firemen in the period of greatest risk of forest fires. Maríinez added that ensuring the use of these dry columns through these inspections will positively result in "the perception of security that neighbors and tourists have."

In this sense, Lloret said that "we intend to give maximum safety to one of the most tourist cities," to the point that Benidorm "becomes one of the safest tourist destinations in the world"

The councillor for Citizen Security stressed that this inspection work is in line with "the commitment of this government team to improve safety", a maxim that not only in fire prevention, but also in terms of shows and events in the public road.

Once the inspection has been completed and the correct functioning of the dry column of the building has been verified, a sticker will be installed so that the firemen know that in case of emergency they can make use of this system.

The importance of 'dry columns'

The Chief Petty Officer of the City Park has explained that in case of fire in a tall building, the firemen inject water into the dry column. Through this pipe, the water rises to the plant where the fire is located. At this height, the firefighters connect the hoses to the column and proceed to act, thus reducing the response and extinction times.

On the contrary, if this system cannot be used, it is necessary to "lay the hose down the ladder" with the consequent physical wear and tear on the firemen and with a delay in extinction.