Welsh fire service donates vital kit to firefighters in Manila

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) has donated approximately 4,500 items of legacy equipment to firefighters in the city of Manila in the Philippines.

The donation was coordinated through Operation Florian, a charity named after Saint Florian, the patron saint of firefighters.

Established in the UK in 1995, the charity promotes the protection of life worldwide by providing equipment and training to improve firefighting, first aid and rescue capabilities.

Training

After transporting donations of equipment to countries worldwide, Operation Florian teams then provide local fire crews with training and support to ensure they get the most from what they deliver.

MAWWFRS’s contribution filled an entire 40ft shipping container with approximately 4,500 items of equipment, including tunics, leggings, flash hoods and helmets.

Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Coordinator, Nick McAllister, who was responsible for organising the donation on behalf of MAWWFRS, said: “The Service is very happy to be able to donate their legacy structural PPE to a worthwhile cause.

“By working with the team at Operation Florian, we have been able to recycle our legacy structural PPE, which will not only reduce our environmental impact, but will also ensure that it will continue to make a difference to the firefighters and, ultimately, the people of the Philippines.”

Save lives

Receiving the donation on behalf of Operation Florian was one of the charity’s trustees, Roy Barraclough, who said: “We’re very grateful to MAWWFRS for this donation of end-of-life equipment. Firefighters in the City of Manila lack the most basic of firefighting kit, so these items will ultimately save lives, not only of those involved in fires and other emergencies, but also of the firefighters.”

The container of legacy MAWWFRS firefighting kit is due to arrive in the Philippines in early 2024 and will be distributed to fire and rescue services across the country.

Manila is the world’s most densely populated city, and its fire and rescue service is far less developed than those in the UK, with firefighters often having to respond to incidents with no protective clothing.