Thirty-six professionals, including 28 firefighters received training on road rescue involving electric vehicles (EVs). The training took place during the week of February 19th to 23rd, 2024 on two islands, Santiago and Sal, islands which have the highest numbers of EVs in circulation.
The training was organised by ProMEC, the project for Promotion of Electric Mobility in Cabo Verde, as part of its 5th component, Capacity Development. The training is the result of a partnership between the project, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Energy and the Ministry of Internal Administration.
As the number of EVs in Cabo Verde’s road increases, public concern with respect to the safety aspects of this technology rises in parallel. Aware of the existing training gap, the project selected experts familiar with the road rescue procedures, including rescues involving electric vehicles, to deliver this training to a group of firefighters, from Santiago and Sal islands, knowing that in the future, the training may be replicated in other islands.
The training opening ceremony was held at the headquarters of National Civil Protection and Fire Service in Praia, Santiago island, presided over by the Minister of Internal Administration, Mr. Paulo Rocha, accompanied by the President of the National Civil Protection and Fire Service, Mr. Domingos Tavares and by the GIZ Regional Director for Senegal, the Gambia and Cabo Verde, Ms. Ulrike Ebeling.
At the end of the training session participants were unanimous when referring to the knowledge acquired and how these skills will support them in performing their duties.
On Wednesday of the same week, February 21st, 2024, a half-day workshop was organised by the project on the same topic. This side event targeted different actors with direct and indirect involvement in a road rescue, including the General Directorate for Road Transport, insurance companies, vocational training institutes, the power utility, among others, and covered the general aspects of road rescue involving electric vehicles.
For further information regarding this project, please visit its official website (available in Portuguese): https://www.portalenergia.cv/promec
