The Formentera Council's department of the interior is unveiling details of the firefighting brigade's collaboration in a campaign by the Balearic ministry of environment to advance forest-fire prevention and safety measures.

The outreach push isn't just about putting a stop to wildfires; it's about driving home the message that doing so is up to everyone—from government agencies to the island at large— and that with some simple attitude hacks, such blazes and their disastrous effects can be stamped out.

Formentera firefighters and special agents of the regional forest service, Ibanat, are completing a series of actions to engage islanders in the task of wildfire prevention.

Prevention campaign

Workers will hand out informational material to homeowners residing near forested tracts or in areas of the island facing increased risk of fire. The literature serves as a reminder that owners of wildfire-prone land are expected to conduct a series of preventive actions to minimise the effects of blazes.

While islanders living in homes or residential neighbhourhoods adjacent to forests are the focus of the campaign, tourists on holiday in such areas are also targets of outreach, and educational material is being distributed in a number of languages.

Information and tips about the campaign have been printed on paper tablecloths —distributed to island bars and restaurants— help ensure islanders know how they can to do their part. A stand is also being staffed opposite the Formentera Council where residents and tourists can hear about the campaign and learn about the important measures.

Paper tablecloths with information and tips about the campaign have been distributed to bars and restaurants across the island in an effort to educate people about how they can do their part. A stand is also being staffed opposite the Formentera Council where residents and tourists can hear about the campaign and get up to speed on some of the associated measures.

The Formentera Council has received €66,690.36 this year from the Balearic Fons de Seguretat Pública, or “Public Safety Fund”. The money will be directed to staff needs as well as materials for safety.

Public Safety Fund
The point of the fund, apart from helping law enforcement maximise their ability to offer stable and adaptable services, is to bolster coordination between local agencies and promote measures that optimise quality services.

Municipalities must use the assistance to guarantee services are adequate—seventy per cent will be devoted to human resources and the remaining thirty per cent to safety-enhancing materials.

Money from the Public Safety Fund is meant to give distinct branches of municipal and regional administrations the tools to offer efficient law enforcement services and improve public safety in the municipalities of the Balearics.

Competitive exams to fill six police posts
From Wednesday August 22 to Friday August 24, competitive exams will determine candidates for six new posts on Formentera's local police force. The tests will cover general knowledge, familiarity with the territory and regulations at the municipal and island levels, as well as candidates' psychological aptitude and personality traits that may or may not make them fit to serve. The would-be officers' practical and physical qualities will also be tested.

Drone raids and operations in es Cap de Barbaria
Local law enforcement have continued conducting patrols with the help of drones. One operation last week in ses Illetes resulted in the identification of two ambulant vendors and the confiscation of various for-sale items.

The purpose of the drone raids is two-fold: catching perpetrators in the act, and identifying locations used to hide illicit materials, immensely useful for forward operations.

Patrols at the weekend targetted es Cap, another hotspot for itinerant vending.