The fully-equipped fire engine was delivered on Thursday. sur

Malaga delivers more help to the Spanish island of La Palma, hit by the volcanic eruption

The provincial authority has donated a fire engine and signed an agreement to provide advice and materials to improve the island's fire fighting service

Antonio M. Romero

Malaga

Friday, 1 July 2022, 18:12

The eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano which spewed molten lava on the Canary Island of La Palma for three months generated a wave of support around the world which is still continuing today. In Malaga, the provincial authority (Diputación de Malaga) has increased its collaboration with the island’s government and is helping to improve its fire fighting and rescue facilities.

On Thursday this week the provincial fire brigade in Malaga delivered a fully-equipped 4x4 fire engine to La Palma. It can carry six firefighters and can carry respiratory protection and other vital equipment. The president of the Diputación, Francisco Salado, was on the island for a meeting and took the opportunity to officially hand over the fire engine to the president, Mariano Zapata.

Salado also announced that the two administrations are soon to sign an agreement under which the Diputación will provide training tools, technical advice, vehicles and materials to improve the island's safety services and will collaborate on developing the future Fire Service which the government is currently working on.

Solidarity

“We want to thank Malaga for the solidarity it has shown with La Palma by giving us this vehicle, and also for the work carried out by the Diputación during the emergency when the volcano erupted,” Zapata said in response.

Between November 2021 and January this year three contingents of fire fighters from Malaga province travelled to support the island’s emergency services, assisting with rescues, technical issues and preventive measures, cleaning up and damage evaluation following the eruption.