Increase in rescues in Catalonia's natural areas during Easter 2021: an indirect consequence of COVID-19

Identifier:  imarina:9280219

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/imarina9280219

Authors:  Saladié, O; Bustamante, E

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.