The Minister of the Interior, Juan Carlos Bidegain, assures that the work carried out by the USAR-El Salvador group in Turkey, a country affected by two earthquakes last week, has been a success.
“We are happy; the mission has been a success. Our USAR team managed to rescue two people in Turkey; President Nayib Bukele, with great emotion, communicated what the team had done,” said the official.
Minister Juan Carlos Bidegain highlights that now “El Salvador can now take care of itself in an emergency and now extend a sister hand to the people of Turkey.”
“Since the earthquake happened, our president made himself available, and we began the logistics to send the USAR team. We have been supporting and giving our contribution, which has been significant, such as the recovery of two people alive from the rubble,” added Bidegain.
The head of security explained that in the face of this type of emergency, there are many countries that seek to provide support, but not all of them can because they do not have the required specialization. El Salvador has this type of specialized training, as well as tools to perform these tasks that meet international standards, he explained.
“We have two USAR groups; it is something unique in the region, and thanks to all the investment we have been able to reach that level. We have caught up with countries that almost always support us, such as Italy and Japan,” the official said.
“In El Salvador, we have not gone through a tragedy like this for many years; however, we know that it will happen at some point. Our responsibility is to prepare for that, we cannot predict it, but we can be prepared, “he says.
Bidegain reaffirms that they are strengthening the various response teams by providing them with more tools, training opportunities, and more.
The official highlights that now “El Salvador can now take care of itself in an emergency and can extend a helping hand to the people of Turkey.”
The USAR team sent last week to Turkey, a country that suffered two earthquakes of magnitudes 7.8 and 7.6 Richter that have left more than 30,000 dead and more than 6,000 collapsed structures, has been supporting search and rescue efforts for victims. In total, there are 111 trained people in Turkish territory.
El Salvador has this specialized team in operations that include the location, stabilization, and extraction of people trapped in confined spaces or under rubble, due to collapsed structures caused by phenomena such as earthquakes, landslides, and accidents, among others.
Bidegain also reported that “yesterday an official delivery of medicine sent by El Salvador was made in Turkey, in addition to basic necessities and equipment.”