The government delegate in Galicia, Pedro Blanco, and the general director of Civil Protection and Emergencies, Virginia Barcones, highlighted the commitment of the men and women recognized with the Medals to the Merit of Civil Protection “whose acts serve as an example to move towards a more solid, free and advanced democracy.” They did so during the ceremony of handing over these recognitions, in which the sub-delegates of the Government in A Coruña, María Rivas; Lugo, Isabel Rodríguez, and the sub-delegate in Ourense, Eladio Santos, also participated.
Pedro Blanco pointed out that the decorations “are an act of justice” with the many men and women who, “with their voluntary and selfless dedication, make Galicia a better Galicia”. “Many times anonymous people who stand out for their effectiveness in the exercise of their functions but above all for their social exemplification and vocation of public service and to whom today we want to thank their commitment,” he said.
For her part, the General Director of Civil Protection, Virginia Barcones, highlighted the great work done by the decorated people in their daily lives, “minimizing the risks of any problem occurring and working to solve it when, unfortunately, it takes place.” The Director-General pointed out that it is impossible to tackle certain situations, “but thanks to these men and women, to the security forces and bodies of the State, we can have the confidence that there will always be someone to our side working for our protection.”
In total, twelve medals were awarded to the merit of Civil Protection, “a decoration with more than 40 years of history with which society can partially thank you for the enormous contribution you made with your actions,” said the delegate.
Among those recognized are the Lieutenant Colonel Chief of Judicial Police in the Civil Guard Command in A Coruña, Jorge Bodelón, for his work in the fight against gender violence at the head of the VIOGEN teams of this Command. Also Guadalupe Lorenzo, head of the Citizen Security Brigade of the National Police, key for her action during the State of Alert for the Covid and in various search operations in the area of Ferrol.
The national police officers Alberto de Had read and Óscar Espiño of the Lugo Police Station, whose speedy and determined intervention saved the life of a two-month-old baby who could not breathe. The GEAS of the Civil Guard, the Special Rescue Group for Mountain Intervention (GREIM) of Pobra de Trives, the firefighters of Pontevedra, those of the Deza and the emergency service of A Estrada in the tragic bus accident in Cerdigit-Cotobade on Christmas Eve 2022, in extreme working conditions.
The list is completed by the civil guards José Alberto Yáñez and Alejandro Urbano Domínguez, of the Verín post, whose role was key in the eviction of the town of Vilarmaior in the fires of 2022, and the agent of the Civil Traffic Guard Héctor Teixeira for his work in regulating traffic during a heavy rainstorm in A Coruña in January 2023.
As the delegate said, the medal “is a recognition of your work, extended to the body to which you belong and to your families, who also sacrificed time for your dedication.”
In this sense, he conveyed his congratulations for his heroism and solidarity and for the coordination between the different agencies with the security forces and bodies, “a collaboration and cooperation that are one of the axes of our growth as a society,” he concluded.