The cold came suddenly Community of Madrid The regional government has prepared a winter wind plan since the beginning of this month, which will be active until April 30. This plan was presented by Isabel Diaz on Monday … Ayuso in Villaviciosa de Odon includes 6,600 personnel and vehicles, half a thousand more than in the previous campaign, and this year includes new features to enhance road safety and the ability to respond to cold and snow attacks on the road.
The regional government is launching a pilot project in Spain for road signs made of materials capable of increasing their temperature, going from -10°C to 20°C in a minute and a half, preventing them from being covered by snow and ensuring drivers can see them clearly even in adverse conditions.
About 18 devices with these characteristics will be installed at strategic points of the regional road network, where a system of autonomous and wireless sensors with the ability to predict weather will also be tested on the road. Directly connected to the road management and maintenance platform of the Community of Madrid.
In this way, the General Directorate of Highways will be able to obtain more accurate forecasts to anticipate possible frosts and adjust the amount of salt or brine needed in the asphalt in each case, as well as the time it will take to dispose of the chemicals, allowing to save materials and human capital.
The Community of Madrid will pioneer the use of both technologies on the road during the winter campaign. The plan enhances security in more than 2,500 kilometers of the regional network, including 370 kilometers located above an altitude of 1,000 meters, and ensures the connectivity of the 85 municipalities whose altitude exceeds 800 metres, as explained by the regional government headed by Ayuso.
“We are working in an extraordinary way for another year to promote safe mobility on our roads, regardless of inclement weather,” explained Ayuso of Villaviciosa de Odon. He pointed out that every year, “human resources are strengthened with new procedures, learning from experience and with the exemplary assistance, participation, commitment and sacrifice of professionals.”
In this edition, the General Directorate of Roads has 300 professionals, 59 snow removal trucks, three turbine mills, 91 surveillance vehicles, and 12 rapid intervention vehicles. Added to these resources are 43 salt storage points, with a capacity of more than 5,000 tons, and eight salt water processing plants located in 14 of the 17 conservation centers, capable of producing more than 400,000 liters of this material.
For its part, the Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and the Interior provides 6,000 professionals and 600 vehicles, coordinated by the Madrid 112 Security and Emergency Agency. This organization collects useful information for city councils and citizens, and disseminates relevant warnings in the event of adverse weather events through its channels.
Within these resources, the General Directorate of Emergency Situations includes 1,680 firefighters, 288 forestry workers, 81 all-terrain vehicles, 460 vehicles (two of which are equipped with snow plows in Navacerrada and Luzuyola), as well as two helicopters operating in cooperation with the UAV unit.
There are also more than 29 forestry teams, each consisting of up to nine people, and equipped with more than 40 snow removal and salt spreading devices.
On the other hand, the General Directorate of Civil Protection has approximately 3,500 employees, identified through the Municipal Coordination Centre, which includes more than 180 specialists from the Madrid 112 Center and 113 volunteer groups, with a total of 3,310 participants.
During the previous campaign, Madrid 112 activated the Winter Storm plan at level 0 on four occasions. The first is from January 26 to 28; The second is on February 7 and 8; The third is from March 1 to 4, and the fourth is from 15 to 17 of the same month. Based on the messages of the State Meteorological Agency, 206 information notices were sent to municipalities and organizations, due to wind, rain, discharges or avalanche risks, among others, with 32 days at the yellow level and one day at the orange level.