Floriana Malta Fire Brigade
Leave your feedback
LEAVE YOUR FEEDBACK

Video ID: 531

Submitting Feedback

It’s an emergency! Meet the Malta Police Fire Brigade

Description

This is Malta Fire Brigade in action at Floriana fire station in the 1960s.

The brigade was set up in 1934 as a department within the police force.

Fire officers had their own uniforms and were specially trained in how to tackle fierce blazes.

Before then, the responsibility for fighting fires in Malta was in the hands of the British Army, RAF and Royal Navy.

The first fire engines were water pumps fitted on steam-powered vehicles.

Over time, fire hydrants, water buckets and fire extinguishers were gradually introduced in many village squares, usually outside police stations.

The main fire station was at Notre Dame Ditch in Floriana, with the Admirality Constabulary Fire Brigade based at Kordin near the dockyards.

The Malta Fire Brigade was eventually transferred to the Civil Protection Department which took over as Malta’s emergency fire and rescue service in January 2000.

The Department’s main control room is at Ta’ Kandja near Siggiewi, with fire stations in Gozo, Xemxija, Hal Far, Kordin and Floriana, as well as a marine section based in Marsa.

Were you a member of the fire brigade? We would love to hear your stories.

More places from Floriana

How Malta celebrated Independence Day in 1964
Floriana George Borg Olivier Independence Day
This exclusive archive footage shows how Malta celebrated its first Independence...
How Tritons’ Fountain became a Malta landmark
Floriana Triton Fountain
For more than six decades, three giant mermen have greeted visitors to Malta’s...
When Malta hosted the world’s largest Catholic festival
Floriana Eucharistic Congress
In 1913, Malta hosted one of the largest religious festivals ever to be held on ...
‘Move back please’: Remembering Malta’s vintage buses
Floriana Malta bus
Loved and hated in equal measure, Malta’s vintage buses were a tourist att...
Meet Malta’s four-legged police recruits of the 1970s
Floriana Joe Dimech Malta Police
This is TVM news veteran Joe Dimech interviewing Sergeant Tony Gatt from the Mal...
How Floriana has never played second fiddle to Valletta
Floriana Sir Maurice Dorman Floriana football club
Floriana has a rich history. The town, a stone’s throw away from Valletta,...
It’s an emergency! Meet the Malta Police Fire Brigade
Floriana Malta Fire Brigade
This is Malta Fire Brigade in action at Floriana fire station in the 1960s. The ...
Malta pays respect at the War Memorial in Floriana
Floriana Franklin D Roosevelt first world war malta
The War Memorial in Floriana commemorates the fallen of both the First World War...

Places Nearby

Soaking up the sun in Sliema in the Swinging Sixties
Sliema, Malta Sliema
It’s no surprise that Sliema has always been popular. The seafront resort ...
Good Friday celebrations in Malta and Gozo over the years
Valletta, Malta Easter in Malta
Holy Week has always been important in Malta and Gozo. The celebrations before E...
Malta’s love of equestrian sports over the years
MARSA horse riding
Horse racing, dressage and showjumping have been popular events in Malta for dec...
Military divers at Tigne Point in 1974
Malta
This film shows divers from the Malta Pioneer Corps at Tigne Barracks in 1974. T...
Malta’s Grand Harbour has always lived up to its name
Grand Harbour Royal Navy Malta
Malta’s majestic Grand Harbour is one of the most spectacular ports in the...
The historic moment Malta joined the European Union
Malta eddie fenech adami Malta EU
Malta joined the European Union in 2004. A referendum on EU membership was held ...
Village feasts have been part of Maltese culture for decades
Valletta, Malta Maltese festa Malta festa
Religious feasts or ‘festas’ have been an important part of Maltese ...
When Malta hosted the world’s largest Catholic festival
Floriana Eucharistic Congress
In 1913, Malta hosted one of the largest religious festivals ever to be held on ...
A look back at summer camps in Malta in the 1960s
Birkirkara catholic action malta
The Youth Catholic Action Movement or ‘Żgħażagħ Azzjoni Kattolika̵...
A new lease of life for a Valletta landmark
Valletta, Malta Anton Buttigieg mcc opening 1979
This archive footage shows some of the extensive restoration work carried out in...
Remembering Maltese Prime Minister Dom Mintoff
Cospicua Dom Mintoff Prime Minister of Malta
Dom Mintoff dominated the political scene in Malta for almost four decades. Born...
Exploring one of Malta’s oldest pre-historic temple sites
Zebbiegh Malta temples
The Skorba temples are megalithic remains on the northern edge of Zebbiegh and p...