{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,20]],"date-time":"2026-02-20T18:55:37Z","timestamp":1771613737715,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,15]],"date-time":"2025-05-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1747267200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Urban Science"],"abstract":"<jats:p>In many European cities, old urban centres, particularly historical centres, reveal significant limitations to the intervention of civil protection agents\u2014namely, firefighters\u2014in terms of their mobility and action in emergencies, thus conditioning their action. This article analyses the case of a Portuguese city (the city of \u00cdlhavo), proposing possible solutions applicable to territories with these specificities. This study was developed with the support of a literature review and field work that accompanied the actions of the local fire department. The proposals include new technical solutions (such as underground dry pipeworks), measures regarding traffic restrictions, the adequacy of signage, and recommendations for training the population living in these areas to intervene in fire situations. This study was developed through monitoring several interventions by the local fire department in real emergencies, allowing for the identification of some existing limitations in its activity resulting from the specific characteristics of the old urban centre. Measures already adopted in other Portuguese cities to improve mobility and reduce the negative impact on firefighters\u2019 work in historical centres are also mentioned. It is also recommended that all civil protection agents be closely involved in planning and designing these urban rehabilitation interventions when carrying them out in these areas.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/urbansci9050170","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,15]],"date-time":"2025-05-15T09:58:27Z","timestamp":1747303107000},"page":"170","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["The Challenges of Firefighters\u2019 Interventions in Old Urban Centres: A Case Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"9","author":[{"given":"Pedro","family":"Barreirinha","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"ISCIA, Higher Institute of Information and Administration Sciences, 3810-488 Aveiro, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1896-0128","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Armando","family":"Silva-Afonso","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CERIS, Department of Civil Engineering, Campus Universit\u00e1rio de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"},{"name":"ANQIP, National Association for Quality in Buildings Services, Campus Universit\u00e1rio de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2488-3202","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carla","family":"Pimentel-Rodrigues","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ISCIA, Higher Institute of Information and Administration Sciences, 3810-488 Aveiro, Portugal"},{"name":"CERIS, Department of Civil Engineering, Campus Universit\u00e1rio de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"},{"name":"ANQIP, National Association for Quality in Buildings Services, Campus Universit\u00e1rio de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Calmeiro dos Santos, C., Correia, J., Correia, A., Meneses, S., and Tavares, P. 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