The National Institute of Medical Emergency (Instituto Nacional de Emergência Médica or INEM) has launched an internal investigation into why Guimarães firefighters were dispatched to a cardiac arrest in Taipas. The local fire brigade, which was fully operational and closer to the scene, was bypassed, leading to questions about the dispatch procedures following the man's death.
Update: Emergency technicians criticize INEM response model
The National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (Associação Nacional dos Técnicos de Emergência Médica or ANTEM) stated that this incident highlights a fundamental failure in the current INEM dispatch model. The association described the event as a worrying sign for the national emergency service.
