During this week and in the coming days, 20 officers of the Department of Civil Protection are helping the Greek authorities in extinguishing the fires that are being caused by extreme temperatures and that are having a direct impact in many regions of Greece.
With the various investments, today Malta has a Department of Civil Protection with workers who are not only more ready and equipped to assist in local emergency calls, but are also ready so that when other countries are in urgent need, they are ready to go abroad to assist in international calls for help. Malta responded to the call under the European Union’s civil protection mechanism for Greece as extreme temperatures are causing fires in forests, grass and fields, as well as pressures on energy supply systems.
The Minister for the Interior, Security, Reforms and Equality Byron Camilleri made contact with the Maltese workers and recognized their commitment as this was the first time that the Department sent a contingent outside our country to provide firefighting assistance in the most difficult circumstances and in completely different scenarios from what our country offers.
Minister Camilleri and the workers talked about their experience in Greece, the assistance they are offering, and how by working in circumstances that are just as difficult and sometimes contrasting to what the Maltese islands offer, the workers will be bringing back with them these experiences and training and even sharing them with their colleagues. In this way the Protection department continues to have more and more prepared and trained officers for various emergency circumstances.
