ABSTRACT
The objective of this study is to analyse the number, timing, and spatial distribution of rescues performed by the Catalan Fire Department in natural areas. We compared the figures from Easter 2021 with those for Easter in the four years before the COVID-19 pandemic (2016-2019). The results show that the number of rescues increased significantly (2.5 times). The greatest increase corresponds to rescue operations conducted in the morning and in low-altitude areas (≤ 500 m a.s.l.) with no specific protection status and near (≤ 50 km) cities. The natural areas in Catalonia experienced an increase in visitors, as occurred in the summer 2020, and, consequently, an increase in accidents and rescues. The results of this research are of interest to managers of emergency services and managers of such areas. The findings open the door to future research to exploring the ephemeral or permanent nature of this dynamic. (English) [ FROM AUTHOR] El objetivo de este estudio es analizar el número, la distribución temporal y la distribución espacial de los rescates de personas en espacios naturales realizados por los Bomberos de la Generalitat de Cataluña. Se han comparado las cifras de Semana Santa 2021 con las de Semana Santa de los cuatro años anteriores al inicio de la pandemia COVID-19 (2016-2019). Los resultados obtenidos demuestran que el número de rescates aumentó de manera significativa (2,5 veces). El incremento en el número de rescates realizados se produjo en mayor medida durante la primera mitad del día y en espacios naturales situados a cotas bajas (≤ 500 m s. n. m.), sin figura de protección específica y cercanos (≤ 50 km) a las ciudades más pobladas. Como ya sucedió durante el verano de 2020, los espacios naturales de Cataluña experimentaron un aumento en el flujo de visitantes y, en consecuencia, un incremento de los accidentes y de los rescates. Los resultados de esta investigación son de interés tanto para los gestores de los servicios de emergencias, como para los gestores de los espacios naturales y abren la puerta a futuras líneas de investigación para analizar la naturaleza efímera o permanente de esta dinámica. (Spanish) [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Investigaciones Geograficas is the property of Universidad de Alicante, Instituto Universitario de Geografia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)
ABSTRACT
This article analyzes the impact of the end of the COVID-19 lockdown on the number of rescues in natural areas in Catalonia (Spain) during July and August 2020. We compared the figures for 2020 with those corresponding to the same period in 2016–2019, including their temporal and spatial distributions. Our findings show that the number of rescues undertaken by the Catalan Fire Department in July and August 2020 increased significantly compared to the same summer period in the four previous years (+39.7%). The daily averages increased for both weekends and weekdays in 2020, with 7.5 and 3.9 rescues per day, respectively. The greatest increase corresponded to rescue operations conducted at low altitudes (up to 500 m ASL) and areas with no specific protection status near to populated places. Natural areas were perceived safer than, for example, coastal destinations in terms of the risk of COVID-19 contagion, and they experienced a growth in visitors during the first summer of the pandemic. One consequence of this was an increase in emergency service activity to rescue people in natural areas. This research adds new evidence of the multiple indirect effects of the reconfiguration of mobilities in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings could be of interest to emergency service managers, managers of protected natural areas, and public authorities.