The Civil Protection Department has received six new vehicles with modern apparatus, a Home Affairs Ministry statement read.

These include breathig apparatus, hydraulic rescue equipment and other equipment. These vehicles form part of a group of 12 vehicles, five of which had arrived last September, costing €2,650,000.

Two vehicles are replacing two existing ones, which have a 2,500 litre water storage capacity. another vehicle has 2,000 litre water storage capacity. Two other vehicles known as Hi-Volume Water Carriers have a 12,000 litre water storage capacity.

The last vehicle is known as the Incident Support Unit, and carries large equipment that is not carried in the other smaller vehicles. It is able to carry spare air cylinders, water pumps, generators and flood lights to night time incidents, among other things. This vehicle is used when there is a major incident.

Home Affairs Minister Michael Farrugia said that this year, government is working to buy drones to be used in large scale incidents. He also mentioned two industrial vehicles being built in Turkey, capable of carrying 10,000 litres of water in addition to 1,500 litres of foam and 250kg of dry powder.

CPD Director Emanuel Psaila said that the department has a vision of where it wants to go in order to better protect the people and save lives.