There are stages in public life that deserve more than a protocol farewell. They invite reflection on the initiatives developed, the relationships built, and the commitments that must be maintained beyond individuals and positions. The departure of Fernando Figuereo Force from the General Directorate of Emergencies of the Government of the Canary Islands constitutes an opportunity to thank him for his dedication and to remember that Lanzarote and La Graciosa need attention in accordance with their geographical particularities and their security and assistance needs.
Figuereo, who assumed this responsibility in May 2024, leaves the post after requesting his resignation, approved by the Government of the Canary Islands on October 22, 2026. Explaining his decision, he stated that, after turning 65, he considered it time to make way for new people, ending a professional stage marked by a responsibility that demands permanent availability and the ability to respond to situations that do not respect schedules.
Emergency management requires organization, coordination, and the ability to act in circumstances that can endanger people's lives. It is a task that does not always make big headlines, but whose functioning is decisive when accidents, fires, rescues, or adverse phenomena occur. Evaluating an administrative period therefore requires recognizing the actions taken without losing sight of the challenges that remain pending.
Lanzarote, an island reality that demands coordination
The island condition of Lanzarote, its tourist activity, the extent of its territory, and the presence of La Graciosa pose specific needs in terms of emergencies. The response to a risk situation depends on the available resources, but also on the speed with which information is shared and adequate resources are mobilized.
During his tenure at the head of the General Directorate, Fernando Figuereo participated in initiatives aimed at strengthening collaboration between regional services and island authorities. Among these is the working meeting held in 2025 between the 112 Emergency and Safety Coordination Center and representatives of the Lanzarote Security and Emergencies Consortium, with the participation of island and municipal authorities.
These meetings allow for understanding the procedures, technological tools, and needs of the teams operating on the ground. Although they do not always have a great public impact, they are part of the necessary preparation to respond effectively to situations requiring joint action.
Another significant step was the agreement signed on April 22, 2026, between the Government of the Canary Islands and EMERLAN, the Association of Volunteers in Emergencies and Rescue of Lanzarote, published in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands in May. The agreement contemplates the participation of this organization in the Canary Islands Emergency System, the mobilization of its resources through CECOES 112, and its collaboration in civil protection plans, drills, and training activities.
This framework of cooperation recognizes the contribution of specialized volunteers and promotes their integration into response systems. It also demonstrates the importance of articulating collaboration between administrations and organizations that have firsthand knowledge of the particularities of Lanzarote and La Graciosa.
Recognition of these initiatives must be approached from an institutional perspective: they are actions involving different entities, and their continuity will depend on maintaining collaboration, regardless of who holds each responsibility.
Prevention and safety on an island linked to the sea
Coastal protection is another particularly relevant area for Lanzarote. Tourist activity, recreational use of beaches, and the population's daily relationship with the sea necessitate strengthening prevention and having resources available to intervene in dangerous situations.
The delivery of One Up emergency flotation devices to EMERLAN and the Lanzarote Security and Emergency Consortium is framed within this context. These devices can facilitate initial intervention against the risk of drowning while specialized teams arrive.
However, prevention requires more than just incorporating new devices. It needs training, surveillance, planning, awareness campaigns, and adequate resources for the responsible services. The effectiveness of any resource also depends on professionals and volunteers knowing its capabilities and having the necessary conditions to use it.
Recognizing the progress does not mean considering all needs met. It means valuing the actions taken and demanding that they be part of a sustained strategy, capable of responding to the risks inherent in an island territory that receives numerous visitors each year.
The rescue helicopter: a demand that must materialize
Among the most significant issues for the future of Lanzarote and La Graciosa is the demand for a rescue helicopter based on the island.
Fernando Figuereo has stated that he promoted this initiative during his time in charge of Emergencies. According to the information published when his departure was announced, the project was still in progress and work was being done on preparing the tender documents for its bidding. It is important, therefore, to distinguish between promoting a measure and actually putting the service into operation.
The demand predates his appointment. In May 2024, a parliamentary initiative was approved to study and adopt the necessary measures to contract an advanced life support helicopter based in Lanzarote. This precedent places the demand within a broader institutional trajectory, linked to the island's health and territorial needs.
Having a medicalized aircraft permanently based in Lanzarote is a matter that must be addressed with technical and health criteria, taking into account response times, the characteristics of transfers, service coverage, and coordination with hospital and emergency resources. The existence of other air resources intended to serve multiple islands does not, in itself, equate to having a permanent base in Lanzarote.
Therefore, the project must continue regardless of the change in the Directorate General. The public needs to know about the administrative progress, the planned resources, the contracting procedure, and the estimated timelines. It is not enough for a demand to be included in speeches or political commitments: it must translate into verifiable decisions and, ultimately, into an effective service.
Recognizing Figuereo for having maintained and promoted this issue also means demanding that the Government of the Canary Islands does not allow it to lose continuity. The helicopter cannot be exclusively tied to a personal tenure. Its development must respond to the needs of the population and to a plan that guarantees its viability.
The continuity of the project will be, in this sense, a tangible measure to verify if the demands of Lanzarote and La Graciosa continue to occupy a priority place on the regional agenda.
Cooperation above differences
In his farewell statements, Figuereo defended the need to work together in emergency management, above partisan differences. It is a principle that deserves continuity, because the protection of people requires the participation of the Government of the Canary Islands, the island councils, the town councils, the consortia, the health services, the security forces, and volunteer organizations.
No institution alone has all the necessary means to face any contingency. Effectiveness depends on collaboration, clarity of protocols, and the ability to mobilize resources without political or administrative differences becoming obstacles.
This cooperation also cannot depend solely on personal relationships between public officials. It must be consolidated through stable agreements, planning, training, and sufficient funding. Only then will it be possible to preserve the actions that work, correct the detected shortcomings, and ensure that the projects initiated continue when the responsible teams change.
The change in the Directorate General of Emergencies represents an opportunity to evaluate what has been done, maintain useful initiatives, and advance in those actions that still need to be finalized.
Thanks for the work and continuity for commitments
Fernando Figuereo closes a chapter of his public career after a career linked to Canarian institutional life, which includes his time in the Parliament of the Canary Islands and his responsibility as an auditor counselor of the Court of Accounts, before assuming the Directorate General of Emergencies.
His farewell deserves recognition for his dedication during these years and for his participation in institutional collaboration initiatives. To thank public service does not mean to create a balance sheet without nuances or to consider objectives that are still pending as fulfilled. It means recognizing documented actions, valuing the willingness to promote solutions, and maintaining a demanding view of the results.
In the case of Lanzarote, that recognition involves highlighting cooperation with island services, the role of volunteering, and the attention paid to the territory's specific needs. It also requires remembering that safety demands permanent planning, sufficient resources, and a fluid relationship between the responsible administrations.
It is up to the new head of the General Directorate to take the baton and continue initiatives that contribute to improving the population's safety. Among the pending challenges are strengthening prevention, coordinating services, supporting professionals and volunteers, and, especially, the effective advancement of the medical helicopter project based in Lanzarote.
Fernando Figuereo's departure does not put an end to these obligations. On the contrary, it invites us to remember that public management is not measured solely by actions taken during a term, but also by the ability to leave projects well underway and ensure that commitments of general interest survive changes in leadership.
Thank you, Fernando, for your dedication and for the work carried out during this period. Lanzarote and La Graciosa need useful initiatives to continue and for pending demands to become realities. That will be the best recognition of your work and the best response that institutions can offer to a citizenry that demands safety, prevention, and healthcare that meets their needs.
Add La Voz de Lanzarote as a preferred Google source.
Stay informed with the latest current news.