Civil protection officers have been decked out with improved personal protective equipment for land and sea rescue operations.

The new PPE, which cost a total of €1 million, is lighter and more adept to the Maltese climate, Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri told the media on Wednesday.

He said the new protective clothing was another example of the government's commitment to improve the working conditions of CPD officers. 

A recent sectoral agreement for the CPD has also seen officer salaries increase significantly, he added.

CPD director Peter Paul Coleiro said the uniforms' lighter colour meant it will be easier to spot dirt: "Soot is carcinogenic so it's very important that the PPEs are clean".

The new PPE for firefighting cost a total of €600,000, while that for sea rescues cost an additional €400,000.

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