· The delegate of the Government, Pilar Bernabé, has highlighted the “humanity, solidarity, commitment, dedication and vocation of public service” of the decorated people
· The gold medal, posthumously, went to Juan Manuel Policarpo, the Local Police of Calpe who died when he tried to save a neighbor trapped by the intense rains of September
The Delegation of the Government in the Valencian Community has delivered today, Monday 12, of the Medals to the Merit of the
Civil Protection. In total, 9 professionals have been recognized for their work in favor of citizenship, especially in emergency situations.
The delegate of the Government in the Valencian Community, Pilar Bernabé, has valued “the actions of the winners to protect the citizenship”. “Each of the people and entities that have received the medals represent everything that makes this a stronger society in the face of adversity: humanity, solidarity, commitment, dedication and the vocation of public service,” he said.
Bernabé added that the Valencian Community “is threatened by the real and clear consequences of climate change with increasingly extreme situations”. That means, he said, that professionals and institutions “have to move away from negationist positions and work with increasingly innovative civil protection systems”.
The highest decoration, the gold medal, has been for Juan Manuel Policarpo, Local Police of Calpe who died in September 2022 when he tried to help a neighbor who was trapped by the intense rains. Bernabé has been in charge of handing the medal to his relatives and has highlighted the commitment of a professional “who was an example to follow for those who, like him, believe in a fairer society”. “A firm commitment to public service and the protection of people is the legacy for which it will be eternally remembered,” said Barnabas.
Civil Protection Merit Medals 2023
Gold Medal of Merit for Civil Protection with Red Badge, posthumously
Juan Manuel Policarpo Moll, Local Police of Calpe (Alicante)
Its vocation of public service is well known and proven. He gave his life to try to save that of a neighbor in the face of the intense rains that took place in September 2022. In addition to this action together with others that he carried out during his time of service related to the disappearance of a minor and in avoiding the suicide of a woman, they deserved personal congratulations for these interventions to which is added the recognition that is granted to him today with this decoration
Bronze medal of merit to civil protection with blue badge
Jorge Tamayo Carmona, Regional Delegate of the AEMET in the Valencian Community
Fundamental reference of the meteorological forecast for this Government Delegation for its spatiotemporal precision of the adverse meteorological phenomena; as well as for the qualification and quantification of the characteristics of the meteorological event and its anticipation. He made an excellent advance forecast of the snowfall storms “Gloria” in January 2020 and “Filomena” in January 2021; as well as in the DANA floods of September 2019, as in the most recent.
Bronze medal of merit to civil protection with red badge
José Hernández Mosquera, Colonel Chief of the Alicante Command
In command of the almost 3,000 troops that make up the Civil Guard Command of Alicante, the great work carried out in the fire of the Vall d’Ebo stands out. In the Advanced Command post he coordinated the actions to secure the lives of the people, with 1,580 people evacuated, while the fire threatened their homes and razed more than 12,000 hectares.
Bronze medal of merit to civil protection with red badge
Jorge Mariano Pérez, Head of the III BIEM of the UME
During the forest fire campaign of 2022, the Lieutenant Colonel was the Military Emergency Coordinator in the operations of Caudiel, Venta del Moro, Streets, Vall de Ebo, Les Useres, and Bejís. And already during this year he assumed the coordination of the fire that recently devastated Viver in Castellón. His extraordinary work at the head of the Battalion has enabled the Unit to successfully complete each and every intervention.
Bronze medal of merit to civil protection with white badge
Aurelio Esparcia Sánchez, Head of the Foreign Citizen Service of the Provincial Brigade of Foreigners and Borders of the Provincial Commissariat of Alicante.
His work was essential as head of the Office for the Processing of Documents of Citizens Displaced by the War in Ukraine, from the time of its establishment to the present day. Thousands of applications for temporary protection have been processed in Spain and in the four national offices, the one in Alicante is the one that has carried out the most procedures, being recognized as a model of operation
Bronze medal of merit to civil protection with white badge
Higinio López Jornet, President of the Segorbe-Alto Palancia Regional Assembly of the Red Cross
Volunteer of the Red Cross since 1984, highlights his action in the fire of Bejís that began on August 15, 2022 where he carried out work of help in the management of the provisional Shelter in Viver and Segorbe; he was liaison with the municipalities and services of the Mancomunidad del Palancia; in addition to providing coverage of Logistical Support in the Post of Advanced Command, among other tasks that, once again, he has done in the recent fire in Viver.
Bronze medal of merit to civil protection with red badge
Raúl Bel Moreno, Lieutenant of the Civil Guard in the Company of Burriana (Castellón)
The most important performances in which he has participated are those of 2012 in the Andilla Fire, in 2018 in the snowfall in Barracas, in 2021 with the snowfall of Filomena, although he has participated in multiple and varied emergencies. It is also worth highlighting its active participation in the fires last summer and in the last one that occurred in Viver.
Bronze medal of merit to civil protection with white badge
Mercé Trullén Gas, Head of the Planning Service at the Valencian Agency for Security and Emergency Response
As head of this Service, he has coordinated the drafting, approval and implementation of the main civil protection plans that have been drawn up in the Valencian Community. And as a member of the emergency guard structure of the Generalitat, he has participated in the coordination of the main emergencies that have occurred in our territory during the last 30 years.
Bronze medal of merit to civil protection with white badge
José María Simón Díez, volunteer of the Association for the Defense of the Nature of Enguera
Volunteer specialized in the extinguishment of forest fires and who presided for the first time the Association for the Defense of the Nature of Enguera, now 30 years ago. Since the formation of this association in 1993, the activities focus on promoting projects of environmental volunteering, cleaning of fountains, trails, rafts, among others