The Fire Prevention, Extinction, and Rescue Service has added new personnel. On Monday, May 5th, the Alicante City Council bolstered the force’s workforce by hiring 15 temporary firefighters to fill vacant positions that have arisen as a result of personnel transfers and retirements. Among these demands are ongoing negotiations between the Human Resources Department and the unions to resolve the improvements requested by over 70% of the firefighters, which are grouped around a platform. These demands encompassed the appointment of individuals to vacant positions.

At present, municipal sources have reported that the basic ranks of the municipal Speis now consist of 145 firefighters, as well as 30 commanding officers, including corporals, sergeants, non-commissioned officers, officers, and the chief of staff, for a total of 175 members. Julio Calero, the Councillor for Security, emphasised that the Speis staff is currently being reinforced, and the vehicle fleet, material resources of the firefighters, and parks and facilities of the corps are being improved. He also said that these additions are in addition to the 47 officers added since 2017, as reported by the same sources.

According to the public notice, Calero stated that Speis will receive two new vehicles this week: a diving van and an FSV model for traffic accident coverage. These vehicles are part of the fleet development and renewal plan, which includes the acquisition of 10 new first-response vehicles. This would also satisfy another of the firefighters’ enquiries.

However, the security councillor emphasises that the city council has allocated nearly 10 million euros to the Speis facilities over the past five years, including investments in vehicles, equipment, and renovations. Additionally, the Speis facilities have secured a maintenance contract for their vehicle fleet for the 2023-2027 period, with a budget of 360,000 euros, a first in the organisation’s history.

Meanwhile, Manuel Villar and Cristina Cutanda, the co-spokespersons for the governing team, said during their weekly public appearance, where they share updates on the agreements approved by the Local Council, that the investigation into the incidents from the March meeting, where a group of firefighters interrupted the session, is still ongoing. They did not say if the legal report has been finished yet. They did not specify whether the issuance of the legal report had already been completed. The report will detail the behaviour of those responsible for the aggression that, according to reports, occurred against one of the Local Police officers who participated in the eviction of the protesters. In this regard, Mayor Luis Barcala stated on Monday that the file was still pending, but he did not specify whether it was an informative file or a disciplinary one. Simultaneously, he acknowledged that negotiations with the unions are ongoing to prevent any incidents that could compromise the security measures for the Nit de la Cremà as a result of a shortage of firefighters. He did not provide an indication of the outcome of that case.

The Torrevieja May Fair 2025 is scheduled to take place from May 15th to 18th at the Antonio Soria Park grounds. The event will feature 15 booths, a large stage, and stalls that can accommodate 600 people. Additionally, there will be children’s shows, dance academy exhibitions, a large rociero parade, and the eagerly anticipated rociero mass on Sunday, which will conclude the fair.

This renowned event, which showcases Andalusian folklore, music, and gastronomy, has been designated a Provincial Tourist Interest and is now firmly established as one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the local festival calendar. Residents and visitors to Torrevieja can participate in a comprehensive program of musical performances, family-friendly activities, equestrian displays, and a fairground atmosphere in the booths that have been erected throughout the grounds for a period of four days.

FAIR PROGRAMMING 2025

Thursday 15th
21:00 Opening ceremony of the May Fair 2025, with a performance of the Torrevieja national anthem by the UMT band. Fireworks will follow. –
21:30 Performance by the QK Dance Academy .
22:30 Performance by the Virgen del Rocío Brotherhood Choir.

Friday 16th
21:00 Performance by the Arantxa Dance Academy
22:00 Performance by the Torrevieja Municipal Dance School
23:00 Performance by Aire de Lo Ferro

Saturday 17th 
Noon Celebration of the traditional Misa Rociera (Rociera Mass) in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, sung by the choir of the Virgen del Rocío Brotherhood. Afterward, a parade of horsemen and carriages will take place to the fairgrounds in Antonio Soria Park.
Itinerary: Depart from the Church of the Immaculate Conception and walk up Bazán Street, Delfina Viudes Street until reaching the fairgrounds in Antonio Soria Park.
Once there, the traditional horse parade will begin.
21:00 Performance by the Soul Dance Studio Dance Academy
22:00 Performance by the Paya’s Dance School.
23:00 Performance by the group Siempre Así.

Sunday 18th 
12:30 – 17:00 Horse-drawn carriage ride around the fairgrounds
20:30 Performance by the Mery Dance Academy
21:30 Performance by the Brisa del Sur Choir
22:00 Salve and closing ceremony of the 2025 Sevillanas fair sung by the choirs Brisa del Sur, Alba Rociera, and the Virgen del Rocío Brotherhood.

Full programme and schedule at: www.torrevieja.es

At the weekend, the Santa Pola Local Police apprehended a driver who had recently obtained a licence and was in violation of numerous regulations.

In this coastal town in Alicante, the police stopped him for exceeding the alcohol limit and using the cycle lane, despite his limited driving experience of only two months.

According to the police force, the incident occurred at night and without headlights, which exacerbated the situation.

The traffic safety regulations have been implemented for all of the aforementioned reasons, as the Local Police have stated on their social media accounts that the risk posed by the absence of lights is not limited to the car.