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Beaches, forests and maquis under the microscope of 30,000 intervention personnel
The DGPC strengthens its system against drownings and fires
After sad events which led to the death of hundreds of people at sea, in forests and on the roads through drownings, forest fires and road accidents, the General Directorate of Civil Protection (DGPC) learned lessons and formed its intervention units. To avoid new tragedies during the 2024 summer season, Civil Protection, equipping itself with new equipment and devices, has mobilized 30,000 men on the ground. A great device.
Launched with great fanfare in the coastal wilaya of Mostaganem by the Minister of the Interior, Local Authorities and Urban Planning, Brahim Merad in the presence of the Minister of Tourism and Crafts, as well as the wali of the Republic of said wilaya, the special 2024 summer season plan of the General Directorate of Civil Protection (DGPC) was officially revealed, the day before yesterday Saturday, or even on the first day of the summer season, to the general public.
For this summer season, the DGPC has put in place a large operational system intended for the surveillance of beaches, tourist complexes, leisure activities at beaches authorized for swimming in order to ensure the safety of vacationers, but also a monitoring plan. security which aims to combat the crucial phenomenon of forest fires. During this year, the DGPC called on 30,000 men and women to better fight against forest fires and the numerous cases of drowning at sea.
Ten thousand professional and seasonal assistants from the DGPC were deployed at the 455 beaches authorized for swimming, while 20,000 firefighters, of different ranks, distributed in 65 mobile columns at the different wilayas of the country, in addition to 505 Civil Protection intervention units including security coverage of forest areas in the intervention sector, were mobilized as part of the fight against forest fires. This major operational device of the DGPC is placed from June 1 to September 30, 2024 and the surveillance and intervention hours are set from 9:00 a.m. and until 7:00 p.m., early evening. For the year 2024 and out of a total of 613 beaches along the national coastal strip, 455 beaches authorized for swimming have been counted and will be monitored, while 175 beaches prohibited for swimming have been identified for several reasons, including the pollution, in addition to some particularities, notably the dangers which threaten the safety of vacationers.
In this context, the General Directorate of Civil Protection supported, during this year, the beach surveillance system with a reinforcement of 10,000 men and women, professional and seasonal assistants, whose mission is to prevent , monitor and intervene on beaches authorized for swimming using devices designated for this purpose. This year’s operational equipment is supported by the arrival of additional material resources, particularly with regard to inflatable boats for rapid intervention in sea rescue operations, where 254 sea rescue boats have been put into service as additional means of support in addition to collective and individual equipment.
Analysis of statistics from the last five years has shown that the main causes of drowning are still swimming on beaches prohibited for swimming or outside lifeguard hours on supervised beaches, i.e. absence of surveillance personnel, in addition to the lack of respect for recommendations and preventive instructions leading to the death of many young adventurers. Note that since June 1, 2024, guard staff have carried out 1,302 interventions which made it possible to save 699 people from drowning and provide first aid to 365 people at the guard post, while the death of 14 people was recorded, including 11 people on beaches prohibited for swimming. Knowing that during the year 2023, surveillance personnel under Civil Protection carried out 74,896 interventions which made it possible to save 48,915 people from drowning, while the deaths of 214 people were recorded, including 114 by drowning on authorized beaches (23 swimming prohibited and 20 dangerous swimming), as well as the death of 111 other people on beaches prohibited for swimming. As for swimming in lakes and water reserves, a phenomenon which continues to cause numerous human losses at the national level, where 75 deaths were recorded in 2023, the majority of them children, despite the awareness campaigns organized previously and during each period of the summer season.
As for this year, nine deaths have already been recorded, including five children who died in water reserves.
Large fire protection device
of forests
As for the system for fighting forest fires, agricultural crops and palm trees, which came into service on June 1 of the current year, the General Directorate of Civil Protection mobilized 20,000 firefighters of different ranks, distributed in 65 mobile columns in the different wilayas of the country, in addition to 505 Civil Protection units, it includes forest areas in its sector of intervention. This year, five new regional detachments were also created to support mobile convoys, and they were installed across the wilayas of El Tarf, Sétif, Blida, Chlef and the wilaya of Sidi Bel-Abbès, after three regional detachments installed Last year. In addition to the allocation of immense air capacities represented by the DGPC leasing 12 AIR TRACTOR aircraft, which were allocated to the airports of Mostaganem, Chlef, Béjaïa and Annaba, in addition to two B-200 aircraft and six MI-26 helicopters from the ANP , as well as the group’s Civil Protection helicopters to carry out reconnaissance, identification and repression operations.
To cite the results of the firefighting apparatus for the year 2023, 1,052 forest, scrub and bush fires were extinguished, which made it possible to save thousands of hectares of vegetation. However, unfortunately losses estimated at 41,594 hectares, including 11,487 hectares of forests, 19,154 hectares of crops, were recorded during the past year.
Awareness campaigns intensify
Given that we are in the middle of the summer season, it is essential to attach great importance to the crucial role played by raising awareness among the popular masses, or even communication through which the message is brought to everyone’s attention.
Strongly supporting this approach, even this information channel, the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) launched, the day before yesterday Saturday, in coordination with the Command of the National Gendarmerie (CGN), a national awareness campaign under the slogan: “Together for an accident-free summer season”, for the benefit of summer visitors and users of public roads, coinciding with the start of the summer season. This campaign, which will take place throughout the summer season, “will be accompanied by local awareness activities for summer visitors and motorists, particularly public transport”, through “advice and guidance on the imperative to respect the highway code and avoid excessive speed, overtaking and dangerous stops, in addition to reckless driving,” indicated, the day before yesterday, a press release from the DGSN.
Security training in the field will focus on “fighting crimes against people and property, and maintaining order and public serenity at beaches authorized for swimming, spaces and places public areas, leisure and entertainment areas, as well as bus stations and metro and tram stations,” according to the same source.
The DGSN provides citizens with the toll-free numbers 1548 and 17, as well as official police digital media, available 24 hours a day.
Safety is essential
Like every summer season, the Gendarmerie and National Security develop a special security plan in which large devices made up of thousands of gendarmes and police officers are mobilized on the ground.
The summer season is a period of major holidays, for the CGN as well as the DGSN it is important to guarantee the safety of summer visitors and their property.
The two security institutions have therefore put in place a specific security plan to ensure public tranquility during this long holiday period. The Gendarmerie and National Security have announced a massive deployment of their intervention units to cover different sensitive sectors such as tourist complexes, beaches, but also markets, mosques, public spaces and places of entertainment and leisure. . This purely security approach aims to prevent any incidents and ensure the peace of mind of citizens and summer visitors. Also, the security of transport infrastructure is a priority, with particular attention paid to bus stations, train stations, as well as metro and tram lines, which experience high traffic during the summer season. To guarantee the smooth flow of traffic, mobile and pedestrian patrols, gendarmes and police officers, are deployed in sensitive areas, the busiest areas, tourist complexes and, also, neighborhoods and major main arteries. Strategic roads, particularly during rush hours and just before sunset, benefit from increased surveillance by gendarmes and police officers. Awareness campaigns are also being carried out to remind drivers of the dangers of road accidents, especially during this period. The success of these two security plans, Gendarmerie and National Security, also relies on the active collaboration of citizens. It is crucial that everyone remains vigilant and cooperates with security institutions by reporting any suspicious behavior or unusual situations. This participatory approach, or even the hard core of communication, reinforces the effectiveness of the security measures put in place. Sofiane Abi