The General Director of Civil Protection and Emergencies of the Government of Spain, Virginia Barcones, and the Government Delegate in the Basque Country, Marisol Garmendia, this morning presided over the presentation of the Medals to the Merit of Civil Protection 2025 at an emotional event held at the Government Subdelegation in Bizkaia. These awards, awarded annually, recognize and reward values such as commitment, altruism and generosity in situations of special vulnerability.

Marisol Garmendia He wanted to acknowledge and “thank you personally and on behalf of the Government of Spain that I represent, for your courageous and generous attitude. Your stories are different, but they all share the same common thread: that of humanity that is mobilized in the face of the suffering of others.”

On this occasion, the deservers of these medals have been Martín Urieta, Maitane Txarterina and Diego Hermoso de Mendoza for his speed in acting to save the life of an injured motorcyclist in Sanctutxu (Bilbao) on 23 January 2025; the agent of the Civil Guard, Juan Carlos Sánchez, to help and protect a woman seeking help in her own home from the man who attacked her on June 16, 2024 in Ermua as well as Edwin Geovanny, the anonymous citizen who did not hesitate to take a ladder to rescue a person in a serious fire that occurred in a flat in Calle Labayru (Bilbao) on March 17, 2025.

The government delegate has addressed all of them praising their merits. “Our five Medals today have given us a lesson in humanity, in citizenship, in fraternity. Let us follow his example. Let us not think that helping in an emergency does not go with us, it is not my personal or institutional responsibility, but it is always the responsibility of the other. Juan Carlos, Martín, Maitane, Diego and Edwin have shown us, fortunately, that this is not the case, that helping and helping the other does go with each of us and us,” he said.

In her address, Marisol Garmendia has extended her recognition and thanks to the role played by Civil Protection and Emergencies to prevent and guarantee the safety of citizens. “I want to thank and acknowledge those who have worked, and unfortunately will continue to work, tirelessly putting out devastating fires, saving lives in the Dana de Valencia and the floods that will come, in the eruption of the volcano of La Palma, in short, those who are left to the skin in the management and resolution of emergencies where they are needed. A tribute to our National Civil Protection System, in which all Public Administrations, Non-Governmental Organizations, public and private entities are represented, and especially the volunteers who altruistically dedicate their time to the protection of others.”

For its part, Virginia Barcones He also wanted to thank the winners for their commitment and to value their actions. “Citizenship is a fundamental pillar of the National Civil Protection System. And today this takes on a special meaning because two of the distinctions we give lie precisely in people

who, as committed and supportive citizens, decided to act to help others at a critical time. That spirit is what strengthens our entire system. Thank you for demonstrating that civil protection is a collective responsibility, where professionals, volunteers, security forces and citizens form the same team. I reaffirm today the importance of self-protection, prevention, training and shared commitment, because only in this way can we build a truly resilient society.”