A new Disaster Preparedness Centre would provide temporary accommodation and assistance for about 500 displaced people in the case of a widespread national emergency, a spokesman said yesterday.

The centre, a large tent operated by the local branch of the Red Cross, was inaugurated by Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela and Health Parliamentary Secretary Chris Fearne.

Robert Brincau, from Red Cross Malta, told the Times of Malta the hub, equipped with supplies, ambulances, boats and other equipment, had cost the voluntary organisation about €62,000 to set up. Although clearly a large investment for a part-time organisation, the price tag was less than half the original estimated cost, which had been slashed thanks to donations and other financial support.

“This is a sort of warehouse containing most of our resources. In case of a major disaster, we have food, clothes and sanitary packs to help. It will allow us to mobilise faster and have a central point to help,” Mr Brincau said, adding that the operation would run in tandem with the organisation’s field clinic, a retrofitted public transport bus that could be set up directly on site.

The hub will remain at the Red Cross Pembroke base, just off St Andrew’s Street.

Red Cross Malta, Mr Brincau said, had provided medical assistance to about 1,600 people this year, its 25th anniversary. An ambulance operated by the organisation in Paceville throughout the Christmas period had assisted some 140 people while other ad hoc services had also been offered throughout the year.

Mr Abela said the government gave the organisation about €14,000 every year but was in the final stages of an agreement which would see the NGO’s 150 volunteers cooperate further with national entities on offering first responder care. He insisted that ,although the volunteers worked with the NGO on a part-time basis, they were “nothing less than professionals”.

Mr Fearne said he himself had attended first aid courses offered by the Red Cross. He said it was no secret that the Red Cross had saved several Maltese lives in the past. The most recent example of such help was at the tragic high-speed crash that left dozens injured during the Paqpaqli għall-Istrina charity car show in Luqa last year.

“Red Cross volunteers were on the scene immediately. Their work in tandem with professionals from the Emergency Department was invaluable,” he said.

Mr Abela said it was not just Maltese who could require Red Cross assistance. He noted that the migration crisis was still present and the central Mediterranean route could see a repeat of heavy migrant flows.

“If a boat carrying some 200 migrants needed our assistance, this could overrun our hospitals. Assistance at a time like that would be crucial,” he said.