As Wildfires Pick Up, St John’s Volunteer Firefighters Ready For When Duty Calls
As Malta and Gozo find themselves battling multiple wildfires across the islands, one volunteer force is on call to minimise the damage and harm caused by these infernos.
The St John Rescue Corps Malta is a volunteer group which can often be found in the thick of it, working with Civil Protection Malta to halt fires.
Over the weekend, as fires sprung up in Dwejra, Malta, Mġarr Harbour, Gozo, Għasri, Gozo, and Għaxaq – and following a fire in a Swieqi valley earlier this week – the St John’s Rescue Corps were deployed to Wardija to stop a fire spreading across a valley.
Their specialised vehicles allow them to access more hard-to-reach places than Malta’s emergency services, though they are set to invest in more specialised equipment.
“A huge thank you to St John Rescue for helping to put out a huge fire which broke down in Wardija today,” one person said in a thankful post online. “Words cannot express our gratitude. With their help they managed to save an old olive tree garden with some of the oldest trees in Malta. Their dedication is a true example, bearing in mind that they work on a voluntary basis. Special mention to Chris and Bobby.”
The Wardija operation involved a total of six vehicles and 18 St John Malta volunteer firefighters from its rescue service.
The community also came together to assist as farmers helped with the water refill and the volunteers managed to put the fire out after eight long hours, saving a number of trees including an old olive tree garden with some of the oldest olive trees in Malta.
Once again – just like in other firefighting scenarios across Malta – accessibility to the area was one of the main challenges, and the specific firefighting vehicles that St John Malta have available were instrumental due to their size and off-road manoeuvrability to access rural areas.
With the rise in fires in rural areas due to the change in climate, St John Malta Rescue service, which includes firefighting, seeks to invest in more specialised vehicles to enhance its ability to operate in inaccessible areas.
“It is thanks to schemes such as the Voluntary Organisations Project Scheme, private donations, and support by several organisations that the NGO manages to invest in specialised vehicles to support the CPD on land and sea when so requested,” the Corps said.
As Malta’s emergency services prepare for a hot summer, spare a thought for the NGOs and volunteers also risking their lives to save Malta’s environment.
Share this story to show your support for the great work done by the St John’s Rescue Corps
READ NEXT: Watch: Close Encounter With Dolphin Near Comino Coast Leaves Maltese Couple Stunned
