Ana Cunha announces implementation of Safety Plan for Holy Christ of Miracles Sanctuary
The Regional Government, through the Regional Secretariat for Transport and Public Works in conjunction with the Holy Christ of Miracles Sanctuary and the Azores Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service, will implement a Safety Plan for this Sanctuary, announced the Regional Secretary for Transport and Public Works.
Ana Cunha spoke to journalists after a meeting with the Rector of the Holy Christ of Miracles Sanctuary, revealing that this Plan should be completed by the end of 2019. According to her, it intends to ensure the safety of people (employees, residents and visitors) and property, namely statues and art pieces, and to guarantee the safety of the building, which houses important objects as well as the Sanctuary's documents. Moreover, the plan provides for the establishment of rules on the evacuation of people and valuable pieces as well as on the protection from damages that might occur, from the identification of causes to interventions towards their mitigation, safeguarding the Sanctuary's property and documentation.
The Secretary for Public Works recalled that, as of now, "no such plan has ever been created: there are, of course, normal prevention measures. This building has a very specific characteristic: it houses pieces of significant historical, cultural and heritage value."
Ana Cunha emphasised that "the plan gives shape to the support provided by the Public Works department to public and private entities, such as the case of the Holy Christ of Miracles Sanctuary, through the provision of technicians and the allocation of skills. This is essential in the preparation of a crucial tool for a building that has been classified as a public interest building since 1953."
For the Regional Secretary, "this is also a challenge for our capabilities as it is not a common plan; however, with the collaboration of Sanctuary officials and the Azores Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service, we have set out to prepare this document."