This video illustrates the dangerous circumstances that some CDS personnel can find themselves while helping people. Sometimes even under fire.
During the civil war, CDS protected civilians that were caught in crossfires between the FMLN guerillas and Salvadoran armed focers. The infmaous yellow uniform became well known during the general offensive in 1989 in neighborhoods such as Mejicanos and Ciudad Delgado. After the conflict, and during the 90s and 2000, CDS continued to offer support during street protests and confrontations between riot police and protesters. CDS maintained and continues to maintain strict neutrality when anyone is in need of first aid and medical care.
Viewer Discretion advised: the footage below shows victims of a high caliber weapon during a protest that happened on July 6th 2006 where a protester shot and killed two police officers of the Unidad Mantenimiento de Orden. May be offensive to some viewers.
Below are more images of Comandos offering support to those in need during turbulent events.
Two American Comandos send a big salute to the Base Central of CDS from Wenatchee Washington USA. Eric Lorenzo and Mark Hoffman served with the Comandos in the 90s. Eric, who now lives in Colorado worked with the Comandos from 1996-1998. He has many awsome memories of action.
“I remember when we were picking up a patient that was run over by a vehicle and he was about to die; but the ambulance was out of gas, so we had to go to Texaco first.”
“I also have good memories of going to the Hula Hula at midnight with Jhony to eat some good carne asada and listen to the drunk Mariachi singers., Johnny was super cool and is a good friend.”
Mark worked with CDS from 1996 to 2001. There are a “montón” of memories, such as the contact bomb run in Ciudad Delgado in ’97.
“A gang member named Freddy Kruger threw a contact bomb and hit a micro driver right in the back of the head. He was still driving dead and crashed into a wall. Then the “marero” was going to throw another, but it went off in his hand, blowing it off, so he ran down the street. We got there when Red Cross was attending to the marero in shock, and we attended to the passengers in the microbus. I will never forget the scene. One side of the drivers brain was hanging off his neck, and the other half was in the middle of the street a ways back. The police was standing guard over the half brain mass on the ground. I asked why he was guarding the brain, and he said, ‘because of the dogs”.
I wanted to throw up”.
“Right then a comando volunteer called Trukini asked me all non chalant , “Hey Mark are you hungry, we are going to Biggest”- a local hamburger restaurant.
Foto: Mark Hoffman
“I also have a good memory learning from Carlos Leiva on a patient that was suffering a pneumothorax from abullet/drive by in the Zona Rosa.”
Eric adds, “Leiva was always great with patients and showed much professionalism and pride in his work as a brigade leader for Comandos de Salvamento.”
A big hug and salute from the Norte for Jhonny, Pacheco, Orsi, Leiva, Charlie, Chilindrina, Claudia, Sapo, Marlon, Nel, Mayen, Kolatto, Cruz, Wilmer, Cuche(David) Listo, Meme, Rosa y toda la mara de Comandos.
-Mark y Eric
Mark Hoffman atiende un paciente en Base Central 1999. Eric Lorenzo y Edgar Jhony Ramos en 1997.
Thanks to LA ESQUINA de Érika y Óscar for publishing a reportaje buenisimo explaining a raffle the Cabañas base had to raise funds for projects, ambulance gas, etc for the base in Sensuntepeque. Spanish only.
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