The Málaga Fire Brigade will add 50 new personnel in the coming weeks, after completing their training at Espam. The total will reach 306 firefighters, the highest number in years.
The Málaga City Council has finalised the addition of 50 new firefighters to the Fire Brigade of the capital, a promotion that raises the total to 306 personnel. The new agents, who have passed the training course at the Public Safety School of the Málaga City Council (Espam), are expected to take office during the upcoming month of July.
A growing workforce after years of demands
The councillor for Security, Avelino Barrionuevo, presided over the closing ceremony of the course at the Central Fire Station in the Martiricos neighbourhood. He highlighted that this promotion is “the largest in recent years” and responds to the need to strengthen an essential service for the city. With these 50 personnel, the workforce reaches its highest level, well above the 256 firefighters that were present in 2020.
The new officials come from the public employment offers of 2021, 2022, and 2023, which had unfilled positions. They join the 40 firefighters who were incorporated in December 2023 and the four technical officers who arrived last May. In total, the City Council has added 94 personnel in less than two years.
More positions on the way
The reinforcement does not stop here. The City Council has already approved the public employment offers for 2024 and 2025, which include another 45 positions for the fire brigade. Additionally, work is underway on a proposal for 40 more positions in the 2026 offer. If the timelines are met, the workforce could exceed 350 personnel in the coming years, a goal that the government team considers necessary to address the city's growth and new risks, such as fires in urban areas or emergency response at large events.
In parallel, the professional reclassification of 162 firefighters has been completed, a process that recognises the experience and training of the staff. There are still 23 cases from the previous call pending, which are in processing. This change, along with the new service regulations that came into effect in July 2024, aims to modernise the internal organisation and improve the efficiency of the brigade.
A key service for the capital
For the residents of Málaga, these 50 new firefighters will mean a reduction in response times in emergencies, especially in the districts furthest from the centre. Councillor Barrionuevo emphasised that “every firefighter that joins is a resource that saves lives” and reminded that the city has grown in population and infrastructure, which demands a broader fire extinguishing and rescue service.
The new personnel have completed an intensive course at Espam that included practical training in structural fires, high-altitude rescues, and basic medical care. All of them have passed the physical and theoretical tests required in the selection process, which had over 2,000 candidates. The high demand reflects the interest in a position that, according to veteran firefighters, “is vocational and carries great responsibility.”
The taking of office is scheduled for July, although the specific dates will be communicated in the coming days. From then on, the 50 new agents will be distributed across the various fire stations in the capital, including those in Martiricos and the western area. With this expansion, Málaga ranks as one of the Spanish cities with the best ratio of firefighters per inhabitant, although the union reminds that there is still a long way to go to match similar European capitals.
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