Loyal volunteers ready for emergency call

Jávea Civil Protection dedicated 5,000 hours to helping the community over 2018

VOLUNTEERS of the Civil Protection service in Javea dedicated 5,000 hours of work for the community over 2018.

Statistics show the greatest part of the 'assistance and protection' over the last 12 months was mounting an essential fire watch in forest areas.

Monitoring the countryside in the battle against wildfires is carried out from mid-June until mid-October – and with a shorter period over the Easter holiday – the 30-strong volunteer team spent just over 3,000 hours to help protect residents and the environment.

The service was scrambled on 16 occasions; this ranged from an emergency call to attend small fires – in rubbish bins, areas of bamboo, on empty plots of land and a kitchen – to larger forest fires, joining the professional firefighters in July when fire broke out on the slopes of the Montgo mountain.

In addition, other emergency calls were to flooding in the Arenal last August, the rescue of an elderly man who fell down a well, and mounting search operations for two missing people. A further 1,000 hours was spent helping at sporting events, fiesta celebrations and firework displays.

Other tasks involved the review and maintenance of more than 400 fire hydrants across the municipality and more than 500 hours training in selfprotection; first aid and search and rescue – also in two larger forest fire drills.

Councillor Pepa Gisbert, responsible for public safety and emergencies, passed on the thanks of the tow and its residents to the volunteers and to Civil Protection president Jose Vicente Serra.

She said the group was made up of people "who are concerned about others and their town; who didn’t hesitate to put themselves forward should there be a problem, helping everyone feel safer.”

The councillor said the town hall was committed to supporting the service by providing new equipment and subsidising training.