In a show of appreciation for the team's visit to Formentera, CiF president Jaume Ferrer extended a gift to Sevilla F.C.'s president José Castro. The gesture came on the back of last Wednesday's Copa del Rey round of 32 fixture, held on the island, which saw Castro's Sevillistas facing off against S.D. Formentera. The gift —a carved piece of savin juniper engraved with a silver-embossed image of the island, a compass rose and waves— bears a small plaque that reads marked with the date, November 30, 2016, of the occasion. Crafted by local artisans Jordi Peñaranda and Mamaplata Formentera, the offering will take its place in the Andalusian club's trophy cabinet.

Ferrer voiced thanks to Formentera locals for their warm welcome of the team and its supporters as well as the exemplary conduct of Formenterencs —not to mention fans from places like Eivissa— at a face-off which is already being qualified as historic. Trumpeting reviews qualifying the event's organisation as “excellent,” the Council president commented: “This is our first time hosting a match with a premiere club and I'm extremely proud of the way our residents have carried themselves.”

Bartomeu Escandell, councillor of the Formentera Council president's office, met today with head of emergency services Pere Perelló and representatives of emergency response services on the island including local police, ambulance crews, 112 urgent response, Guardia Civil, civil protection, Ibanat, firefighters, social workers and employees of the court, not to mention the heads of the company contracted to implement the geolocalisation system in Formentera's rural areas.

According to Escandell the purpose of the encounter was to “take stock of the first year of the pioneer service of the Formentera Council”. Of the 1,004 incidents reported on the island between May 13 and November 29, Perelló noted that emergency crews had been able to locate the site thanks to the geolocalisation service in 12.5% of the cases. Representatives of Formentera's urgent response services signalled improvements both in their ability to find sites and in their response time.

The Council gave emergency codes to 3,600 homes situated in remote locations. Approximately 1,000 more were assigned to sites on public land. The initiative receives 183,436 euros in funding, a sum that is provided in equal parts by the Council and the Leader fund of the European Union. The councillor highlighted special mention received by the programme in the Leader fund's magazine, which called it “an innovative project”.

Jaume Ferrer and Joan Gual de Torrella, presidents of the Formentera Council (CiF) and the port authority of the Balearic Islands (APB), met this morning in Palma, on Mallorca, to finalise a deal handing the Formentera administration control of the land and outbuildings in the immediate vicinity of la Mola's lighthouse. The move comes as part of a broader effort to establish the landmark as a centre of cultural and musical programming.

The lighthouse occupies land that is controlled by APB, however, under today's agreement, cultural and musical activity on the premises shall not affect the monument's daytime and nighttime use as a lighthouse for maritime traffic.

Ferrer announced yesterday as he unveiled the administration's 2017 budget that, following today's signing, the parties would proceed to drafting executive plans for the project. Meanwhile, the Council is also applying for funding —potentially covering €600,000, or half the project's total cost— under the EU's European Regional Development Fund. Works are expected to get under way in the second quarter of the coming year.

The president's office of the Formentera Council, the administration in charge of the island's rescue and lifeguard service, has announced that last week marked the end of active summer supervision, which runs May 1 to October 31.

During the service's six-month period of operations, fifteen lifeguards, three beach supervisors, one area supervisor and one service coordinator were tasked with keeping Formentera's beaches safe. Department chair Bartomeu Escandell thanked the service's team for its “immense dedication and professionalism”.

The service logged 1,255 cases in which assistance was given, 488 more than in 2015, due in part to an extended season, and also to an increased presence of beachgoers in May and October — “when lifeguard interventions doubled,” according to supervisor Sergi Martín. Another 1,321 individuals were treated for jellyfish stings, 267 fewer than the previous year.

A total of 49 people were rescued from dangerous situations in the water. “Such assistance,” Martín pointed out, “is normally necessary at yellow flag times when swimming is allowed but caution is advised.” Ambulances took 34 individuals to hospital, one individual suffered a stroke and still another died on a beach between Es Ministre and Es Trucadors.

Accessible beaches
Councillor Escandell highlighted the beaches at Arenals and es Pujols which are adapted for people with reduced mobility. This year 37 beachgoers used the service. The Council's adapted swim service at these beaches is available not only to visitors but to any Formentera residents who might require it.