- Red Cross in Gipuzkoa receives the medal for its collaboration in the crisis of refugees from Ukraine; Civil Protection of Balmaseda for its acts of heroism and solidarity in the fire suffered by the locality, and the Basque Mountain Federation for its cooperation in training to prevent accidents
Representatives of the Red Cross in Gipuzkoa, the Civil Protection Group of Balmaseda and the Basque Mountain Federation (FVM) received today in Vitoria-Gasteiz the Medals of Merit of Civil Protection awarded by the Government Delegation in recognition and support of the work carried out throughout 2022. These medals distinguish people or organizations that during the past year stood out for their actions in the protection of people and for services to the citizen that contributed in a special way to their safety and to improve their quality of life.
Civil Protection Balmaseda (which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary) receives the medal of merit of Civil Protection in its category of Bronze and with the distinctive Red (which distinguishes acts of heroism or solidarity). The Basque Mountain Federation is recognized with the medal of merit of Civil Protection in its category of Bronze and with the distinctive White (distinguishes acts of cooperation). And the Red Cross in Gipuzkoa receives the medal of merit of Civil Protection in its category of Bronze and with the distinctive Blue (which recognizes the acts of collaboration).
The Government delegate, Denis Itxaso, presided over the event held at the headquarters of the Government Delegation in the Basque Country and attended by various authorities and representatives of civil society. “Today is a unique and comforting day for all of us,” the delegate began his speech, “because we recognize the best of Basque and Spanish society: commitment, solidarity and dedication. Values that make us stronger and allow us to be prepared to face the most complicated situations, risk and emergencies.”
Itxaso also valued the National Civil Protection System, of which the winning associations are part and where different Public Administrations, organizations, public and private entities, and volunteering share responsibility. Recently, the National Civil Protection System has implemented the Es-Alert system, which allows the general public to be alerted to emergency or disaster situations in a territory. “We live in complicated times, full of uncertainties and unanswered questions. And a good example of this is what we have experienced in recent years. This world is subject to variables that are unpredictable and circumstances that we cannot control. Faced with these uncertainties, this society must have trained and motivated organizations and people to face them because nothing makes you suffer more than feel vulnerable.”
“Today we reward the Red Cross in the territory of Gipuzkoa”, said Itxaso, “for its involvement and the response given in the reception of the displaced citizens of Ukraine who have arrived in Spain through the border in Irun”. The inexorable wickedness of the war in Ukraine has led millions of citizens into exile. Denis Itxaso highlighted the fact that Spain has welcomed (and will welcome) “with humanitarian commitment the Ukrainians and Ukrainians who want to come to this land, which has always shown signs of being hospitable, generous, peaceful and of concord. Managing this great social solidarity muscle means facing real challenges, but it also creates learning opportunities for host societies. This is an excellent opportunity to break with that pejorative narrative about how the refugees are that has been growing in recent years. It is about extirpating that unedifying message and realizing that now the refugees are the Ukrainians, the Syrians or the Afghans, but it can also be us. Because no one wants to become a refugee.”
Another example of solidarity is the volunteers of Civil Protection of Balmaseda, who “from selfless altruism dedicate their time to help others. And sometimes, like last year, risking its integrity to put out the most important fire that Bizkaia has suffered in the last 30 years”. The members who make up the Civil Protection of Balmaseda”, said the government delegate, “beyond their preparation, they gave their best to help put out that fire. “Their dedication and effort deserves our gratitude and that is why we honor them with Civil Protection Merit 2023.”
Dedication and dedication is what also characterizes the Basque Mountain Federation, whose collaboration and advice is fundamental in the multiple rescues carried out in conditions of serious risk for the intervention teams themselves and, above all, their training work helps to prevent more accidents. “The lack of preparation, misfortune or recklessness ends in some cases in relief calls that set in motion a search and rescue device that includes a large number of people who risk their lives to save the lives of others.”
The government delegate in the Basque Country concluded by giving “a heartfelt thanks to the Mountain Units of the Civil Guard which, in 2021, last year with consolidated statistics, rescued 88 Basque mountaineers in different mountain scenarios of our country, especially in the Pyrenees, and had to ask for help to get back safe”. And, in addition, highlighting the recent implementation of the Es-Alert system that allows the population to be widely notified in emergency situations or catastrophe in a territory.