EMTs from Comandos de Salvamento place a star atop a Christmas tree at the Central Base in San Salvador. While becoming festive with holiday spirit, CDS staff members throughout the country know that the days between Christmas Eve and New Years day are some of the most active days of the year for emergency calls and traumatic events within the EMS community of El Salvador.
Thirteen year old Alcides Altimirano and fourteen year old Luis Juarez are Volunteer Comandos whose physical abilities and EMS knowledge were put to the test during this last natural disaster that was caused by flooding rains. Alcides and Luis first worked in rescuing those affected from landslides in various isolated communities. They then went to the department of San Vicente to recover cadavers buried in the small town of Verapaz. After wards, they prepared food and clothing to be given out to refugees of displaced communities in shelters.
Both Luis and Alcides are children of veteran Comandos inheriting the spirit of solidarity that their parents have instilled in them. Luis is son of Claudia Altamirano and Alcides is son of Manuel Juares. Both Claudia and Manuel have over ten years of service with Comandos de Salvamento. They also are studying full time while helping their fellow Salvadorans.
Comando Claudia Altamirano and her son 13yo José Alcides. “He likes Humanitarian work and I don’t bring him necesarrily to follow my example, it is important that he has volunteer service experience.”
Comandos de Salvamento and civilians unload water in Joya Grande, a small village in the Ilopango area of San Salvador. Villages around Ilopango were flooded by excess rainfall that happened the same weekend as Hurricane Ida. In small villages such as Joya Grande, potable water is scare since wells and rivers have become contaminated. The Salvadoran Air Force, Comandos de Salvamento, and other Humanitarian NGO’s are bringing help to those in need, and the number one priority now is clean water. feel free to donate via paypal to continue supporting our operations. Your name will appear on the right with amount donated.
Photos: Francisco Campos
© 1999-2026 Comandos de Salvamento Derechos Reservados/All Rights Reserved/Alle Rettigheter Reservert