News

Rescue is a tough business and thus, rescuers, more than any other professional, need to be well-equipped with a multitude of skills; not only technical skills related to the rescue in itself, but also non-technical ones that will make the rescuer better prepared on a personal and social level. This, in turn promotes stronger teamwork and a smoother performance when dealing with time-critical and possibly life-threatening situations. These attributes, often termed soft skills, are especially crucial in scenarios where workers have direct contact with casualties and bystanders. This is what drew our committee to plan a course that trains its members

It is an inherent aspect of EFRU’s Community Assistance Programme (CAP) to encourage positivity, good energy and volunteering for a good cause… but when it is plainly stated in the name of the event itself, we cannot but put that little extra ingredient into our duties. Such was the case at the St Monica School Open Day event dubbed ‘Smiling with Jerome’. We all know Jerome as the inspirational young man who battled cancer for three whole years and instilled hope and courage with fellow young cancer patients. Although he left this world earlier this year, his legacy continues through

We recall sharing with our readers the news about different funds which the EFRU was trying to secure or had secured altogether in order to improve both training and equipment resources. We also recall sharing the news on the birth of the EVOLSAR association which brought us closer with our volunteering brothers and sisters across European borders and beyond. These news made our headlines several months ago and now, more than a year on, we are back with updates! The most demanding project which the EFRU has ever embarked on is, of course, the multi-national endeavour (Synergising European Volunteer Rescue Teams, an

We all saw it on the news. Like everyone else – at our place of work, at home or at the bar – we watched as the breaking news made it to all four corners of the world of media telling us that, early in the afternoon, the waste recycling plant at Marsascala had caught fire. The flames reportedly broke into a massive, uncontrollable blaze within minutes and the incident immediately became a major topic for discussion. Through the afternoon, as the hours rolled into the evening, everyone was following in awe the fire that failed to subside. And in

Dear readers, it has indeed been a while since we last updated you with what’s cooking at the EFRU. It has been a busy summer and although we lay low for a few months, much has been happening behind the scenes. As you shall see in one of the write-ups in this newsletter, much of our time at the beginning of summer had been taken up by the international EVOLSAR conference and its aftermath. Yet, we still honoured our standing commitment to the local community by providing first-aid and fire-fighting cover during several public and private events. Last but not

2016 was another year that brought with it a lot of experiences, challenges and a milestone, in its own right, for the EFRU. Here are just a few that certainly left a mark on EFRU; The year started with some work with “all hands on deck” for all the volunteers as the EFRU hosted a five-day training programme for some 42 rescue volunteers coming from various volunteer rescue teams from various European countries which included the UK, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Hungary. The event, held in February 2016, saw these volunteers handle various rescue simulations in the Maltese Islands where

The Emergency Fire & Rescue Unit (EFRU) of Malta is hosting a two-day activity which will see over 120 rescue volunteers from all over Europe, the United States, Serbia and Russia, training together with one aim – that of saving lives. This is a project funded by Erasmus+ KA2 Strategic Partnerships funding strand and is led by the EFRU, a 40-strong rescue team that was set up locally but is managing to unite rescue volunteers from around Europe and beyond. Participating teams include Edelweiss (Italy), EPS (Portugal), ETSM (aka EP.OM.E.A., Greece), CCPVC (Cyprus) and Serve On (UK), as well as other

The human resource of any organisation is one to nurture and sustain. Unlike that of any other organisation, however, the human resource of volunteering NGOs is all that little bit more valuable. At EFRU, our volunteers do what they do entirely out of will and selfless commitment. But the commitment that our organisation makes to the people who might be in need of its service is a serious one on many levels. This means that the organisation must not only ensure that its members are present when and where requested, but also that they are well trained to do what

May is the month of new life, as it offers the perfect climate for beautiful plants and flowers to flourish; but in 2017 there is more meaning to this lovely month. May will be bringing with it more exciting times for the Emergency Fire & Rescue Unit (EFRU) which is working relentlessly to organise a day conference for more than hundred and fifty volunteer rescuers from all over Europe and beyond. A first of its kind that has been made possible thanks to a number of individuals within the EFRU who, through their hard work and determination, have managed to