Africa-Press – Gambia. In a major step toward strengthening emergency preparedness, 58 Gambian security and emergency personnel including firefighters, police officers, marines, and members of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) over the weekend completed a weeklong intensive water rescue training program led by expert instructors from the Fire Brigades of Gran Canaria and Tenerife.
The initiative, led by an NGO called StarUp Corazón Solidario – Gambia, is part of a broader strategy to “train the trainers,” equipping local professionals with the skills to replicate and expand training efforts within their institutions, an approach aims to create a sustainable, self-reliant emergency response system in The Gambia.
Over a demanding week, participants engaged in classroom sessions and hands-on simulations in pools and at the beach. The training focused on lifesaving techniques, the use of specialized equipment, and coordinated tactical responses to aquatic emergencies.
“Training can compensate for lack of experience, creativity, and resources, but attitude is key, as our Gambian colleagues have, clearly demonstrated,” said Corporal Ismael Mejías Pitti of the Gran Canaria Emergency Consortium.
A Tenerife firefighter echoed the sentiment: “Effort, perseverance, and the desire to improve have made it possible for us to share swimmer-rescue techniques with our Gambian counterparts.”
In a brief interview, Sonja Arup, President of StarUp Corazón Solidario-Gambia said to address equipment shortages, the initiative launched an innovative local manufacturing project. Life jackets and rescue tubes were first prototyped in the Canary Islands and then reproduced in The Gambia by firefighter tailors. This effort resulted in the production of 50 life jackets and 25 rescue tubes, enabling effective, hands-on training.
“Our objective goes beyond knowledge transfer. We aim to empower Gambian institutions to manage their emergencies effectively, save lives, and build a strong, self-sufficient civil protection system,” Sonja Arup expressed.
This year-long project was developed in close coordination with The Gambia’s Ministry of the Interior and supported by a wide network of partners including the Government of The Gambia and Canary Islands, the Department of International Solidarity of the Gran Canaria Island Council, Fire Brigades of Gran Canaria and Tenerife, BINTER Canarias, and Gesport Atlantic.
Towards a safer future, she said this action forms part of a broader international cooperation effort to build a resilient, highly trained emergency response workforce in The Gambia capable of facing natural disasters, accidents, and emergencies with confidence, preparedness, and autonomy.
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