The Andalusian Government presented the Civil Protection Medals of Merit on Friday to recognise 87 citizens and emergency professionals for acts of service or acts of valour and exceptional merit. Among them was our neighbour and head of Civil Protection in Manilva, Ivan Quirós Gil, who was awarded the silver medal in recognition of his courage and dedication to public service.
Sanz said that these medals represent the gratitude of all Andalusians to the men and women who «with their lives contribute to building a safer autonomous community». The gold medal went to Leopoldo García Fabrique, a volunteer with the Écija (Seville) group, who prevented a float in last year’s Three Kings parade from running over a small girl. In doing so, he was unable to avoid being knocked down himself, and he was seriously injured and still suffers the after-effects today.
With two months almost passed since the tragic DANA (severe flash-flood storm) in Valencia, the councillor paid tribute to those who lost their lives in one of the greatest natural disasters in recent history.
🦺 87 historias de valentía, compromiso y heroísmo premiadas con las Medallas al Mérito de Protección Civil de #Andalucía.
Ejemplo de dedicación y servicio a nuestra tierra.
Gracias, vuestra labor salva vidas. pic.twitter.com/VAjlLzgLOI
— Antonio Sanz Cabello (@antoniosanz) 27 December 2024
He also highlighted the pride and civil protection spirit of Andalusians who, «without hesitating for a moment», have gone to help the people of Valencia. «The heart swells and fills with hope on seeing the hands of so many Andalusians cleaning streets and homes, and on seeing the spontaneous mobilisation of schools, community centres, churches and associations to help», he said.
The head of the Presidency department also recalled that 625 municipalities now have a local territorial emergency plan, that more than 96% of the population lives in an area with a plan, and that Andalusia was the first autonomous community to adapt its territorial emergency plan to the General State Emergency Plan for Civil Protection and to the basic Civil Protection regulations.
Among the most advanced measures, the councillor pointed to the creation of the new Andalusian Security and Emergency Agency (Asema), a new body that will begin operating on 1 January, with top-level specialists from 112, Civil Protection, Infoca, the Andalusian Emergency Group and the Andalusian Institute of Emergency and Public Security.
He also announced that the Andalusian Government will push forward a decree on self-protection for individuals, in order to have a population that is prepared, trained, informed and able to understand the response needs it must face in any emergency.
