The president of the Provincial Council of Castellón, Marta Barrachina, praises the solidarity and commitment to the province of the Provincial Group of Civil Protection Volunteers of the Provincial Council.
The highest representative of the provincial institution, together with the deputy of the Castellon Province Fire Department, David Vicente, presented this afternoon the accreditation diplomas to the 23 volunteers who have successfully completed the new entry course in the last promotion. An event that takes place this Tuesday, February 11, World Emergencies Day 112, and which was also attended by those responsible for the Protection volunteer headquarters, as well as the Provincial Firefighters Consortium.
“We welcome our new volunteers with pride and gratitude, with the conviction that they will continue to carry out their work with the same passion and commitment that characterizes this group,” said Marta Barrachina, who highlighted the protection, solidarity, institutional gratitude and altruism of all of them. “Solidarity is not just a word, it is a way of life that is reflected in each of you. Your commitment reminds us that Castellón is a land full of generous people, always willing to lend a hand to those who need it. That is true greatness and you are the best example,” indicated the president of the Provincial Council.
Since its creation in 2013, the Provincial Group of Civil Protection Volunteers has been working and growing day by day until it has established itself as a fundamental pillar in terms of security in the province of Castellón. As of today, more than 100 volunteers make up this service that supports the 105 municipalities, members of the Provincial Civil Protection Group, services that range from all types of events to support for any type of emergency. Since its inception, the group has performed 6,000 services and an average of 700 performances per year.
It should also be noted that it is currently the only Civil Protection group that has a provincial territorial scope in the Valencian Community, being the one that provides service to the largest number of municipalities.
The group is integrated into the structure of the Castellon Province Fire Department and under its direction and coordination provides an essential service to guarantee protection and assistance in multiple situations, always demonstrating professionalism and a spirit of service.
Since its creation, it has participated in preventive devices of all kinds, from the hundreds of annual services in festive or sporting events in all the participating municipalities, to large musical events such as the FIB, Arenal Sound, or Rototom, through top-level sports events such as the Mediterranean Epic, Penyagolosa Trails or the Cycling Tour of Spain and the logistical support service for Firefighters and other intervention units in all major emergencies such as in the recent episodes of the dana both in Valencia and in Castellón, the large forest fires of 2002 in Les Useres and Bejís, the Villanueva de Viver fire in 2023, the special operation related to the Covid-19 crisis or the collapse of the Peñíscola building in the summer of 2021.
The president of the Provincial Council has valued the step taken by the new volunteers who join the group and, as she added, “being part of Civil Protection is not just putting on a uniform, it is assuming the responsibility of protecting and caring for our neighbors; “It is being part of a great family that, day by day, demonstrates its vocation for service and its love for this land.”
During the event, a few words were also dedicated to Gabriel Fernández, one of the oldest volunteers in the group and who is temporarily away from it for health reasons, recognizing the long career of this volunteer member who was wished a quick recovery.
