GO and the Civil Protection Department yesterday signed a two-year sponsorship agreement under which GO will be providing installation and maintenance of the communication services in the command and control mobile unit towards more effective operation coordination.

Enhanced telecoms services to the unit, which is vital in search and rescue operations, will be provided on a 24 hour basis. The unit will also be equipped with dedicated wireless data services using GO’s nationwide 3.5G High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSPDA) mobile coverage and digital terrestrial television service (DTTV).

Justice Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, who presided over the agreement, expressed satisfaction that once again the private sector was participating and showing responsibility to a sector which was so important to society.

“This sponsorship agreement will continue to strengthen the CPD’s effectiveness which was dependent on communication systems,” Dr Mifsud Bonnici said.

He pointed out that by the end of September, CPD received 3,931 reports of fires, 104 calls of traffic accidents and 31 calls for animal rescue.

Meanwhile, although few major disasters and tragedies take place in Malta, coordination in a rescue operation may be a matter of life or death and communication between the CPD, Police, Armed Forces, medical authorities and non-governmental organisations would be essential.

CPD’s mobile unit will also be used in mass activities such as music concerts besides in cases of serious accidents, said CPD director Peter Cordina. Meanwhile major operations are not one-off cases and the mobile unit with its newly enhanced services is of utmost importance in cases of fireworks factory explosions, search and rescue for missing persons and flooding.

GO’s CEO, David Kay said the company was looking forward to powering CPD’s telecoms service for such important causes.