More than two thousand people took part in 100 Limites, a social intervention project carried out by the Bombeiros Voluntários de Leça do Balio, Matosinhos, which over the last year has focused on direct contact with the population, from children to the elderly
"The project was born from an invitation by the municipal company, Matosinhos Habit, for us to make an application to the national program 'Bairros Saudáveis' (Healthy neighborhoods), fulfilling a very territorial aspect, in Leça do Balio, and more specifically together with its Custió and Recarei housing developments", according to Rute Oliveira, the institution's social support technician,
Basically, "to promote social cohesion between firemen and the community, with proximity and interaction", explained Rute. Experienced in social projects, the corporation "accepted the challenge immediately", said the technician.
In this scope, it was possible, for example, to perform "free screenings, with glycemia and blood pressure measurement, to people over 65 years old", to give first aid training, including to children, "teaching how to ask for help", and also to provide support to all people "with little health literacy in taking medication", said Rute.
The same technician referred that "a success" was the organization of a holiday camp, at Easter, which lasted three days, for children from the Leça do Balio housing complexes where, among other things, "they had boxing classes, painted a panel, and even played in a cooking area". "There was a morning when they went to learn everything related to the firefighter's profession," said Ruth, highlighting the fact that all the activities were free.
Besides having sessions on prevention in case of fires at home, in September "the whole quartel moved to Largo do Souto, in Custóias. There, for a week, "people could see in real-time the work of the firefighters". "Thousands of people passed by", said Ruth.
In response to the "desired proximity between population and firemen", a library was created in the firemen's barracks, with books lent by the population. "We had the space, and we thought about the possibility of having a library. At a certain point, we challenged people to bring books. And it went very well. To the point that we have 600 books and now we have to buy more shelves", concluded the technician.
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