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60 YEARS OF COMANDOS DE SALVAMENTO DE EL SALVADOR
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The years have passed very quickly, from the early days to now, as 60 years are being reached. Comandos de Salvamento have always answered the call during the most difficult hardships El Salvador has suffered.
Earthquake of May 3, 1965: there they were, wearing their white jackets, olive-green pants and skirts—the women who joined the volunteer service.
When Hurricane “Fifi” struck, Comandos de Salvamento appeared in their brown uniforms to help with the destruction caused by the powerful storms that battered the country.
The years passed, and the rescuers always left their mark among the community through their spirit of service to others.
During the 1980s, El Salvador suffered the effects of the armed conflict. For that reason, Comandos de Salvamento changed their uniform to yellow, with several zippers, so that during the confrontations they could be seen by the combatants (guerrillas and soldiers).
The years passed; there were takeovers of the cathedral, the OAS offices, and other consular offices. Comandos were there, ready to provide assistance to the hostages and get them out of danger.
Years of bloody combat in which Comandos risked their lives to rescue the wounded under gunfire and take them to hospitals—times no one ever wants to experience again, since they left thousands dead and disabled as a result of this armed conflict.
Later, Comandos de Salvamento managed to redesign their uniform with command-style pants and a shirt, which is still used today. Thanks to the thousands of volunteers, assistance has been provided during the most difficult moments, such as the earthquakes of 1986 and 2001, which caused widespread destruction throughout the country. In 1986, the Rubén Darío building and Hospital de Niños Benjamín Bloom were the sites of the greatest tragedy.
In 2001, Colonia Las Colinas in Santa Tecla was the place where part of the earth buried hundreds of homes, and for many days efforts continued to recover the bodies.
Hurricanes that left widespread destruction in their wake—and Comandos always answered the call, despite the limited resources available to carry out rescue operations. But the volunteers’ great spirit of service has said: let us move forward, because people need us.
Today, 60 years of existence are being reached, with boots on and a big heart to continue our mission of serving and never giving up, despite the pandemic that has also taken fellow members from us, and who hold a very special place in the history of Comandos de Salvamento.
God, Courage, Loyalty. For Safety.
