On January 6, I was asked to photograph a firefighter (bombeiro) training session in São Brás de Alportel. The training exercises were rigorous and everything was going well. It seemed that this would be a normal training session, and for me, a routine photo assignment.
Then suddenly, tragedy struck. São Brás Fire Chief Raul Manuel Lourenço de Jesus collapsed and died during the training session. Chief Raul had been working hard with trainees all morning when suddenly he fell to the ground. His comrades immediately administered defibrillation and CPR, but he could not be revived.
During the training, Chief Raul, age 61, and four trainees were equipped with fire protective suits, helmets, cowls, boots, gloves, air tanks, and breathing masks. Chief Raul had been giving extensive verbal instructions while he was wearing a breathing mask. I could see that he needed a lot of breath to speak clearly through the breathing mask.
The first activity was designed to teach about firefighting in an urban dwelling. The Bombeiros Voluntários de São Brás de Alportel have constructed a training center that has a complex of “simulated” apartments or houses. These virtual dwellings are actually an assembly of several old shipping containers, which had been donated through “Alerta“, the Algarve firefighter charity.
For training, they set wooden pallets afire inside the connected containers. The trainees entered the hot, smoke-filled interior with fire hoses and doused the fire. There can be obstacles and stairs to contend with. This simulates a real urban fire emergency and helps them learn about the equipment and making good decisions in emergency situations.
The acrid smell of thick smoke was certainly a wakeup call for me. After just a short exposure to it, I could feel it in my lungs for days. The next activity simulated a fuel fire, which can be encountered at a car accident.
The bombeiros’ stations in the greater Faro area are also responsive to aircraft fires at the airport, where 30,000 (yes, thirty thousand) liters of fuel in an Airbus 320 could be ignited.
Jugs of fuel (which were confiscated by maritime police from drug trafficking boats) have been donated to the bombeiros for training. The fuel is poured into a large open drum, and then ignited, and the trainees learn about the process of extinguishing a fuel fire.
I have recently learned that most Algarve bombeiros, our brave firefighters, are volunteers. This means they have other employment to provide income, but as volunteers, they are always on call for emergency responses to fires, car accidents, many other emergencies, as well as ambulance service. They are largely unpaid for this commitment.
Our lives depend on them, and they depend on our donations. For young volunteers to perform such difficult work, they obviously need a lot of training. I learned that their training is mostly provided by experienced members of their bombeiros’ station. Some are volunteers, and some are paid professional employees.
Fire Chief Raul Manuel Lourenço de Jesus was a professional bombeiro who specialized in training.
Obituary:
Fire Chief Raul Manuel Lourenço de Jesus
January 13, 1964 – January 6, 2026
The Municipality of São Brás de Alportel expresses its deep sorrow for the death of Fire Chief Raul Manuel Lourenço de Jesus, which occurred unexpectedly, at the age of 61, in the full discharge of his duties, bearing the uniform he always honored, together with his brothers in arms.
Soldier of Peace and Man of Causes, he stood out for a life marked by bravery, altruism and an unwavering sense of mission in the service of the São Brás community.
Born on January 13, 1964, he joined the Bombeiros Voluntários de São Brás de Alportel in 1979, at just 15 years old, beginning a 46-year mission, always at the service of the same fire brigade.
A professional firefighter, who achieved the rank of Chief at just 30 years of age, he assumed responsibilities in the Training Department, contributing to the technical training of several generations of volunteer firefighters. He fulfilled his military mission with honor, having been a skydiver.
He was a devoted member of the Motorcycle Club of São Brás de Alportel called “Os Unidos da Estrada”.
Within the scope of the project called “Our Firefighters”, he left a message to future generations: “If young people are dedicated and like to help others, be aware that this is a profession with extreme risks, but also very rewarding, for the mission we aim for, whether in a fire or in a fiery crash or in a prehospital emergency.”
At this moment of deep sadness, the Municipality expresses heartfelt condolences to the family and friends, the Humanitarian Association of Volunteer Firefighters of São Brás de Alportel, the Corporation Command and the Portuguese Firefighters League, paying just tribute to an example of altruism, citizenship and dedication to the community.
Donations to support Bombeiros Voluntários do Algarve can be offered to the charity “Alerta”.
