One of our main documentary photographers, Ricardo Segura took photos of our work during a mass disaster simulation of a flood and other traumas in the community of Los Angeles Hacienda Colima Suchitoto en Cuscatlan. Mulage makeup was completed by Edgar Jhony Ramos. Jhony has over 20 years practicing this art with the Comandos. We want to thank the community for their voluntary spirit this day in order to practice what could indeed happen in the future. The volunteers in the orange shirts work for the Municipal Emergency Comitee of Suchitoto. They were trained by Comandos de Salvamento in Disaster EMS techniques and management. The thumbnails are of the actual simulated drill. The two photos below are EMS situations in which Comandos find themselves every day.
EMS members of Comandos de Salvamento and Green Criss participated in an EMT course APAA this last 23rd of May. The course took place in the National Firefighter Offices and was sponsored by Glasswing International and USAID/OFDA Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance. Over 30 EMS workers improved their quality of care by acquiring more patient care knowledge regarding MVAs, natural disasters and other pre-hospital care situations. Representatives from Civil Protection and Glasswing were present during the training.
Above, a Señora is transported by her grandaughter to recieve a wheel chair donation organized by Comandos de Salvamento at Majahual Beach 2010. Since 2005, Comandos de Salvamento has been collaborating with the organization Free Wheel Chair Mission in it’s goal to provide everyone with the gift of mobility. The mission recieves factory produced wheel chairs from China and distributes them throughout the world. The chairs are made from simple but sturdy plastic lawn chairs with mountain bike tires. From the website=”The FWM wheelchair was a child of necessity, conceived in compassion and born of ingenuity. On that life-changing trip to Morocco, Dr. Don Schoendorfer saw the need, heard the call, and set out to develop a durable, safe, inexpensive wheelchair. A mechanical engineer and inventor by trade, Don’s goal was to come up with a most basic design at an extremely low cost so as to reach as many disabled impoverished people as could be served in the shortest possible amount of time.
Credit: FWCM Website
Comandos de Salvamento is the main distributor of chairs in the country and works with FWCM Representative Cristina Amaya in reaching families. Cristina has chosen CDS as a cultural liasion since they are known throughout the country in offering free EMS and Community Healthcare. Individuals with mobility problems or families first make a request to the main base of CDS. The chair parts are then put together by CDS volunteers, and then given away. According to their website, more than 77 countries have recieved 476,705 chairs of which 8,800 went to fulfill peoples dreams of mobility in El Salvador.
Cristina Amaya states the following,
“Via rescue task force, Gary Becks & Andrea Stone along with the world emergency were able to get donations that were sent by free wheel chair mission some time ago.
“This is the third semi container full of wheelchairs that the great family of Comandos de Salvamento has given out to the beneficiaries that asked for them at the main base.
Each shipping container had a total of 550 wheelchairs, shipped from Shaghai China. We also received numerous donations of vitamins, shampoo, granola bars and pineapple juice. A pure transformation in the lives of those that need the gift of mobility”.
“A thousand thanks to Comandos de Salvamento”.
Fotos por Ricardo Segura y sitio de Freewheel chair.
In order to prepare for the Holy Week holiday, Comandos de practicad a simulated traffic accident at 10am today on the Blvd. del Ejercito near MOLSA. 70 EMS workers were present and six ambulances and one extrication unit. CDS is prepared for any emergency and practice their skills to keep them sharp in order to provide services to the Salvadoran public during Semana Santa vacations.
Roberto C. Cruz.
Executive Director
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EMS crews backboard traffic accident patients and assure stability of the spine in San Salvador. There were 10 actors as patients. Comandos thanks all for their collaborative efforts in order to hone quality of care skills.
The pharmeceutical coproration “Vijosa” gave medical donations and 200 t-shirts for EMS workers that will participate in Holy Weeks, “Operation First Responders”, that will start the 28th of March and last until April 4th 2010. The donation was handed over by Doctor Zenia Mejia to Comando veteran EMS worker Orsi Cortez. Vijosa Website here.
Veteran EMS worker Edgar Jhonny Ramos directs crews below in drill of 2009.
Every year, Comandos de Salvamento will be doing another massive rescue simulation drill at the beaches of El Majahual La Libertad this coming Sunday March 21. Such activity is to keep our rescue and EMS skills sharpened for the upcoming Holy Week vacations in April.
All resources and training gear will be within the scope of care that CDS offers to the Salvadoran public along with the support of the Salvadoran Airforce. The FAS will be offering to collaborate as they do every year with a Huey UH Helicopter and will be doing manuevers with Comando EMS personell. Do not miss this opportunity to observe the Comandos work starting at 8am. For pictures of last years event please click above foto for flickr. Video below.
