Tahiti-Ambulance-2
A photo of the ambulance funded by donations from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the Fédération Polynésienne de Protection Civile in French Polynesia in 2024. © 2024 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
While the remainder of the 2024 Summer Olympics were held in Paris, France, surfers competed in the giant waves of Tahiti, French Polynesia, about 15,000 kilometers away.
Near the competition site was the official emergency vehicle, a brand new ambulance purchased with donations from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Tahiti-Ambulance-2024
Representatives of the church and the Fédération Polynésienne de Protection Civile pose in front of the new ambulance, which was purchased in 2024 with a donation from the church.© 2024 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
The Church provided the funds to purchase the ambulance for the Fédération Polynésienne de Protection Civile (Polynesian Civil Protection Federation), which provides rescue, assistance and relief following natural disasters that frequently affect French Polynesia.
“We are so grateful for this ambulance – but most of all for the opportunity to partner with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to save lives. Our close relationships with the church at the local level allow us to help each other and conduct joint operations,” said Sam Roscol, president of the Polynesian Civil Defense Federation.
Founded in 1985, the Polynesian Federation for Civil Protection provides first aid training for the public, water sports training for professionals and training for instructors.
In recent years, the church and the nonprofit organization have collaborated on a number of projects, including providing underwater rescue equipment, mountain rescue equipment and first aid training.
Last year, the association’s ambulance – an essential tool for helping and rescuing people in danger – became inoperable and the organization had to scale back its operations until it could afford to purchase a new one.
“We are very happy that we can now start a pilot project where people will be trained not only in first aid but also in logging (the lumberjack profession) so that they can effectively use the equipment in the church’s emergency containers,” said Roscol.
More than 60 people have been trained and are able to reinforce the emergency response plan in the Church’s parishes where this FPPC training pilot project has begun.
