This mission of Diputación de Alicante invested 80 million in Marina Alta

The Provincial Firefighters Consortium has launched a dedicated training program to equip staff with the skills to rescue and assist animals that become stranded. The theoretical-practical course was hosted at Mundomar Park and forms part of a broader learning plan developed by the Alicante Provincial Assembly to boost the knowledge and capabilities of its teams. The initiative reflects a clear commitment to protecting wildlife and preserving natural ecosystems, with Javier Sendra serving as the on-site field coordinator and underscoring that the consortium leads the way in adopting and delivering these trainings. The emphasis is on preparing personnel to handle situations where animals are vulnerable and in need of timely help, a priority cited by the leadership as central to environmental stewardship. The program aims to build confidence and competence in handling fauna in diverse environments, from urban spaces to more remote locales. This message came from the leadership during the session, highlighting the conviction that trained responders can reduce risk to both people and animals while preserving wildlife in the process. This is a core element of the mission funded by the Diputación de Alicante, which has invested in specialized rescue initiatives as part of its broader environmental and public safety agenda. This session, which brought together about twenty firefighters, also serves as a catalyst for designing a follow-up digital training course that will extend the reach of the program across the province and beyond. The Provincial Consortium has the capacity to scale these efforts and to tailor them to different operating contexts. The overarching goal is safety for the public and protection for wildlife, ensuring that responders are prepared to act quickly and effectively when animals require assistance. A forward-looking objective of the program is to formalize best practices for situations such as stranded dolphins or birds found in urban centers, turning the on-site learning into scalable, digital knowledge that can be shared with other departments. The panel emphasized that professional actions help reduce injuries and support the survival and welfare of animals across the region. This year alone, the Alicante Provincial Council firefighters have logged 303 animal rescues across the province, including 259 domestic animals and 44 protected or marine species. These figures illustrate the persistent effort to safeguard both pets and wildlife and highlight the ongoing training that underpins those outcomes. Source: Provincial Firefighters Consortium.