Members of the Torrevieja University of the Third Age, also known as Torrevieja U3A, visited a local horse rescue centre at the tail end of April to learn about the incredible animals at the shelter and make a donation for their care.

A visit to the amazing animals and friends at the shelter

During their visit, the members took a tour of the Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre, a shelter for horses, donkeys, and ponies located in Rojales. The members also made a donation to the centre, to go towards the animals, many of which were rescued from situations of abuse, neglect, and abandonment.

Since its founding in 2008, the Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre has rescued and subsequently cared for nearly 200 horses, donkeys, and ponies. Of these, there are currently more than 120 animals being taken care of at the centre.

Who are the Torrevieja U3A? A local non-profit for those in the ‘third age’

The Torrevieja U3A is a non-profit organisation based in the province of Alicante. Members of the group, though they share no age restrictions for members, belong to the “third age” of life; one that comes after full-time employment and family responsibilities. The group often organises events, charity efforts, and diverse activity groups for their members to stay active in the community and enjoy retirement to the fullest. The U3A holds monthly meetings for new and existing members, as well as monthly coffee meetups.

One of the organisations that the Torrevieja U3A frequently donates to is the Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre.

“Today we welcomed a lovely group of people from the University of the Third Age based in Torrevieja,” stated the Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre in a post about the visit on Facebook. “They enjoyed a tour of the rescue hearing some of the stories of our rescue horses, ponies and donkeys. Not only were they a joy to show around, but they were very generous too! Thank you so much.”

At the beginning of May, the Alicante Provincial Fire Consortium bid a bittersweet farewell to Titan, a trained firefighter dog who took part in more than 80 searches during his life. The courageous canine, a Belgian Malinois shepherd, passed away at the age of 13, and will be remembered fondly for his brave service to the people of Alicante and the first responders at the Consortium.

A courageous canine with an ‘impeccable’ service record

Titan specialised in the search for live victims of natural disasters, and during his long life, participated in dozens of searches, some of them in the earthquakes of Ecuador and Turkey, as well as in the floods of Libya. The dog also carried out important work in Spain, searching for people trapped during natural disasters like DANA storms among collapsed structures, or stranded hikers in natural areas.

The clever dog spent much of his time with Sergio Pérez, a firefighter from the Elche fire station, training together. Any small gesture the dog made would be noted by Pérez, alerting him to the presence of any live victims during emergencies. The pair became inseparable, and many of the comments on the announcement of Titan’s passing are messages of condolence and support for Mr Pérez.

Search dogs like Titan are also trained to let first responders know if there are no live victims, which helps to change the approach during emergency situations.

A trained search dog that became a member of the family: Titan will be remembered and missed

Titan became such an important part of the team of Alicante firefighters that a toy was inspired by him, a plush toy used to help reduce children’s stress in times of emergencies. The firefighters carried the toy in their vehicles during interventions.

“A very special partner has left us. An impeccable service record with more than 80 searches,” stated the Alicante Provincial Fire Consortium in a Facebook post about Titan’s passing. “Titan lived up to his name and to the #cpba. Rest in peace, buddy.”

Alicante firefighters leaped into action and quickly intervened in order to put out a fire near El Palmeral in the Costa Blanca town of Orihuela. The fire, which broke out in a house on the final day of April, resulted only in material damage, thanks to the swift action of the first responders.

Palm grove fire breaks out in Costa Blanca town

The fire broke out in the afternoon of April 30, in Orihuela’s El Palmeral palm grove, located near a school. According to sources close to the operation, the intervention was especially delicate given the proximity of the school and other nearby structures; if the firefighters hadn’t intervened as quickly as they did, the flames could have advanced and created a much more serious situation.

The fire was put under control relatively quickly, with no one injured and only material damages reported to the affected home.

The third in three days: Firefighters quick on their feet to put out fires on the Costa

It is the third building fire in three days in the Costa Blanca area, further showcasing the importance of the firefighters as first responders for the safety of the residents and visitors to the Costa Blanca. Another fire broke out on Wednesday, April 29 in a home in Almoradi, originating from a household appliance. This fire was also swiftly put under control and put out by authorities, thanks to quick intervention.

The day before, on Tuesday, April 28, another blaze took hold, this time in a chiringuito located in the Greenwich Marina in Altea. Once more, the firefighters responded quickly and were able to put out the fire with no injuries and only material damages reported.

Protecting citizens ahead of peak season in Alicante

Ahead of the summer season and busy crowds all along the Costa Blanca, local firefighters prove to be imperative for resident and visitor safety. They not only help to intervene and put out fires, which unfortunately become more common during the summer; they also perform rescues of citizens in dangerous areas, often while they are hiking in the mountains or climbing.

It is important that all residents keep a charged phone on them while they are out and about, remember to call the 112 Emergency Services number in the case of an incident, and to always let a loved one know their whereabouts before setting off.