The staff complement at the Civil Protection Department was the largest it had been since 2000, Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela said yesterday.

He was speaking during the presentation of letters of appointment to 12 new assistant rescue officers at the CPD.

The officers, Mr Abela said, would help in the running of the various CPD stations across the island and would also coordinate fire-fighting and rescue operations.

Mr Abela said that such appointments were last made in 2006 and there were now 180 fire-fighters on staff.

He also noted that working conditions had been improved. CPD personnel, he said, now enjoyed parity with the other national forces, including early retirement and union representation.

The minister promised further investment in equipment, including new vehicles in the near future.

CPD commandant John Rizzo was also present for the ceremony and urged officers to lead by example, to arrive at scenes of accidents promptly and to report back to the control room accurately.

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