Madrid sent 144 professionals and 37 vehicles, including a helicopter, to the area affected by the Valencia floods. And they will be there “as long as they need” this aid, presidential advisor and regional government spokesperson Miguel Ángel García Martín said on Sunday. Not only thinking about today, but also what might be needed in the future: There are already more medical examiners planned, as well as public health inspectors and epidemiologists. “We are in a situation of national emergency and we are focused on aid,” Interior Minister Carlos Novillo said. However, they do not want to enter into a controversy but only help Valencia. “We are all here to make our contribution,” said Miguel Ángel García.
Madrid was in contact from the first moment with the Valencian authorities and offered help. From the early hours of Tuesday 20 until Wednesday 30, almost 400 emergency telephone calls were answered, which were diverted to 112 in Madrid after the collapse of the lines in the affected area. Early on Wednesday they were notified of their proposed Height Rescue Group helicopter landing spot, and at 1 p.m. they rescued a lone driver at the water’s edge and reconnoitred the Alzira area.
From the Madrid region, a river of citizen and administrative solidarity was generated, with the collaboration of several town halls and the coordination of the Federation of Municipalities of Madrid. In the summary made this Sunday by the regional government, it is indicated that 48 rescuers from the Immediate Intervention Team of the Community of Madrid (Ericam) were sent to the affected area, an elite body that intervened in numerous disasters at the international level. They also brought drones and rescue dogs, in addition to five people from the immediate logistical response team made up of civil protection volunteers.
In addition, five forensic experts from the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences of the Community of Madrid and seven psychologists from the Offices for Attention to Crime Victims of the Community of Madrid were displaced.
To this first aid is added reinforcement for Ericam, made up of 3 special rescue vehicles and 1 assistance vehicle, and a total of 10 new firefighters. Its function will be to refloat floods in garages and premises as quickly as possible in order to access possible victims.
The Minister of Transport, Jorge Rodrigo, also announced other arrangements: in collaboration with the town halls of Madrid and Alcobendas, a convoy made up of 17 vehicles, mainly cranes, and 69 professionals arrived in Valencia to help removal of vehicles from the most affected areas. They will be based in the city of Valencia and will work in the locations provided by the operational command.
A first shipment of essential products requested by Civil Protection and the Generalitat Valenciana is in preparation: in total there are 15 vehicles with 123 pallets. Yesterday noon, the central warehouse owned by the Federation of Municipalities of Madrid in La Garena was at its limit.
This Sunday, 2 heavy units and forestry pumps to reinforce the firefighters of the Community of Madrid also went to the site to draw water. And other teams are activated, waiting to be deployed as needed, including 20 additional forensic pathologists to reinforce and cover rotations.
And looking ahead, 15 public health inspectors and 5 epidemiologists responsible for food safety work will be deployed to monitor possible outbreaks, establish prevention measures and monitor cases.
On the other hand, there is a contingent of heavy machinery from the road maintenance centers of the Community of Madrid to help with everything necessary: there are a total of 36 vehicles and at least as many operators.
Concretely, this involves eight self-propelled sweepers, eight mixed excavators with backhoes, eight truck cranes adapted to handling concrete barriers, a 4×4 truck equipped with a wedge to remove debris, six trucks 4×4 snow plow, a 6×6 snow plow truck equipped with a crane and four mixed crushers equipped with hammers and blades to remove logs and forest debris.
Technical means are also sent for the analysis of water control, strategic reserve material, medicines and vaccines, “as we are informed of the needs”, and Canal tankers of Isabel II, which will be sent when access is possible. hydraulic infrastructure repair equipment.
There are also two modules of 50 civil protection volunteers from different municipalities with vehicles, medical supplies, supplies and production equipment. And a social emergency team is on alert to respond to the needs of Valencians in Madrid.
Because it may be necessary for any use, Madrid has also made 50 buses available to carry out transfers deemed necessary.
