Four new fire-fighting vehicles for the Civil Protection Department (CPD) were inaugurated on Thursday, with an investment of nearly €3.5 million, the government said.

During the inauguration, the Minister for Home Affairs, Security and Employment, Byron Camilleri, said that this investment reflects the guiding principle of the Ministry's work - that people's safety remains the highest priority, while Malta must always be prepared for whatever may arise. 

He referred to the professional manner in which the Civil Protection Department, together with other entities, worked hand in hand to provide reassurance to Maltese families in the face of storm-related challenges in recent weeks. "Your safety, our priority, is not merely a slogan for the occasion, but a mindset we live by every day in the decisions we take and the resources we allocate. Today we are seeing the result of substantial investment in favour of a more prepared Malta," the Minister said. 

He recalled how in recent years the Government has continued to significantly increase the resources allocated to the Department - an investment that is being felt directly in the protection of Maltese families against difficult conditions and complex emergencies. The Minister said that these modern vehicles will further strengthen and modernise the Department's fleet, with the capacity to be used in various scenarios - including fires in homes, garages and industrial buildings - especially in urban environments where rapid response is crucial. He stressed that this forms part of a long-term plan to keep the country in the best possible position to respond when needed.

The Minister also noted that over the past year the Department was called out to 6,638 incidents, highlighting how crucial its role is to national safety. "While investment remains essential, prevention is the best tool to avoid incidents, and therefore information and prevention initiatives will continue to be strengthened," a government statement read.

For his part, the Director General of Civil Protection, Peter Paul Coleiro, said that the inauguration of the four state-of-the-art vehicles marks an important step both for the Department and for the safety of Maltese communities. He said that in recent months Malta has faced serious challenges, including two major fires and the impact of Storm Harry, which underscored the need for the Department to remain equipped with the best resources available.

"Investment in advanced fire-fighting technology is a direct investment in the protection of lives and property. Together, with these new vehicles, we will continue to enhance our capacity to protect communities and save lives," the Director General said. 

Minister Camilleri remarked that in recent years the Department has undergone a positive transformation, with investment not only in equipment and technology, but also in human resources and workers' conditions. "We will continue to build on this progress. Today's investment and those planned for the future have one clear goal - to protect and save lives," the Minister concluded.