In Memoriam

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DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF COMANDOS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES TO SAVE THEIR FELLOW MAN WOMAN AND CHILD.

LODD and End of Life Tribute Memorial

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YOLANDA ELIZABETH RAMIREZ HENOE

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In 1984 during a heavy rainy season, the Comandos started to evacuate the marginal community of colonia Nicaragua due to flooding of the Garobo river.  At that time Yolanda was brigade chief and was in charge of operations in the area.  When she arrived to the site two people approached her asking for help and telling her that a child was trapped inside a house.   Yolanda entered the house but when she was returning toward the door with the child in her arms two giant dams of water broke making the river rise. Just as she handed the child to other rescuers, a mudslide carried her away with the river current.  Six hours later we found Yolanda´s body twenty five kilometers down river near the community of agua caliente.

The Comandos de Salvamento will always remember Yolanda for what she stood for in the name of bravery and courage and for offering her life to save her fellow man and fulfilling her duty to God and her country.

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 ALBERTO GUZMAN

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Alberto lost his life due to an accident on Troncal Del Norte highway while attending to a traffic accident victim.  The Comandos de Salvamento will always remember Alberto for what he stood for in the name of   bravery and courage and for offering his life to save his fellow man and fulfilling his duty to God and his country.

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Alberto protecting civilians during 1989 offensive Civil War in San Salvador.

SALVADOR LOPEZ

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Jiboa River, Costa del Sol

Eighteen year old Salvador Lopez  lost his life trying to save 21 year old Marta Olmedo and Dr. Vides Lemus who had lost control of his car, and had driven off the road into a river. Salvador was nearby and jumped in to save them from the sinking car and tremendous water pressure. He managed to save Vides, but in the process of trying to save Marta; he was swept away by a strong current.   Salvador was found 70 meters downstream from where the accident happened.

The Comandos de Salvamento will always remember Salvador for what he stood for in the name of bravery and courage and for offering his life to save his fellow man and fulfilling his duty to God and his country.

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JOSE EDGARDO
2001

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Palma is a rescue worker with Comandos de Salvamento who perished while trying to recover a cadaver in the río Grande. Two of his children are now orphans-his new son and a daughter of nine years.

Yesterday was the funeral. Edgar was carried by his mother Érika, who, with tears on her face, repeated; “I will tell his son how brave his father was”.  His body was adorned with his proud orange uniform from a Domican rescue group he worked with in Costa Rica.  Below this uniform was a shirt of Comandos de Salvamento. Many members from Comandos de Salvamento arrived to the funeral to pay their respects for a fallen comrade.  They also stayed for the mass, and the burial, the velorio lasting all night long. By morning, the home was almost empty except José.

His parents, inlaws, and wife, cried together private as a family. Some neighbors arrived for some time to pay their respects.  Each one had some memories. Mercedes, the mother of José Edgardo remembered that her son was always one to serve since he was twelve years old joining up with the “Los Comandos”- soon after, he joined up with the Salvamento group.

He stayed with the comandos until his death at twenty years old. He was able to reach the post of Mountain Rescue Instructor, and Clinic Nurse. After graduating from Highschool, he joined the PNC, National Civilian Police. But his heart was with EMS and rescue and he returned to the yellow uniform of the Comandos.  Jhony Fernández, Supervisor of Comandos, remembers him as a very well trained and helpful human being,“His work was so professional that an EMS organization brought him to Costa Rica”. Palma era integrante de Salud Sin Fronteras, entidad que lo había destacado en aquel país.  Fernández thinks that his rescue bretheren’s death was caused by excessive weight of rescue equipment when Edgar lost his balance and was taken away by the río Grande current.

Yesterday was the burial. There were many family and rescue brothers and sisters in tears. But there was also much pride in knowing that José Edgardo had died by doing something that many forget. To serve and protect his fellow man. The Comandos de Salvamento will always remember Salvador for what he stood for in the name of bravery and courage and for offering his life to save his fellow man and fulfilling his duty to God and his country.

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Oscar Aquino

69 yo Oscar Aquino Rosales a Comando that worked many years and saving lives during the civil war died this pasunday Sept. 13th due to a prolonged illness.  During the 1980 Offensive in Ciudad Delgado, one of his sons, 19 yo Armando Aquino died in the line of duty in his yellow uniform.  Currently, his other son, Julio Edgardo is a delegate member of our Antiguo Cuscatlán base (as of 2009).  Oscar Aquino was a man that spent his life and that of his sons, to the human service of EMS and Search and Rescue with Comandos de Salvamento.

Nelson Regalado


Nicknamed,”Julio Iglesias” who acted as head secretary of the governing board during the 80s and president of the board in the 90s. Julio passed away in 2000.

Daniel Aquino

Nicknamed, “Poliada”, a Comando lifeguard since the 80s. Daniel was lifeguard brigade leader for many years at Majuhual beach in La Libertad. Daniel passed away in the 1990s

Eduardo Rivera Mayen

Base Central, 26 years of service.
Comandos Press Journalist since 1998

Entries about the death of Mayen here.

José Antonio Rivas

Volunteer
Apopa Delegate Base
Murdered by Gangmembers June 11 2011

CARLOS REYES QEPD

Doctor Carlos Hernández Reyes died this morning in a motorcycle accident at the corner of 17 avenida norte and 27 calle poniente, in the Layco Colonia. He had just finished his volunteer shift in the walk in clinic at the Central Base of Comandos de Salvamento. Carlos was a dedicated doctor with experience in triage, critical care and minor surgeries that are common occurrence in the walk in clinic at night. He dedicated over 15 years of his life with CDS.




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Press Release:

The Board of Directors and Executive Management of Comandos de Salvamento significantly mourns death of young 14yo volunteer  Erick Beltran due to an incident that occurred on Sunday April 10, within the premises of the CDS Quezaltepeque Delegation.

The murder is an attack on the neutral voluntary work of the Comandos de Salvamento whose mission is “to rescue the lives of people, when in danger from causes of nature or of man

CDS leadership calls for groups involved with violent activities to respect the humanitarian work of Comandos de Salvamento and other EMS agencies.

CDS work under the principle of being a neutral impartial and independent institution. We have a great commitment to the Salvadoran people suffering from the effects of violence, and we continue working to bring relief to those in need.

We offer our sincere condolences to the family of first responder Erick Beltrán and we join in solidarity with the local branch of Quezaltepeque which has more than 20 years serving the community of northern San Salvador.

God, Courage, Loyalty

For Security and for Safety
If you know a Comando de Salvamento who has passed away, even if outside our country, please contact us with information. Thank you.

2 thoughts on “In Memoriam”

    1. Hi James, on left hand side of the website we have a gofundme, or venmo. We also accept Crypto via the QR Code in pink/Metamask. Email us the type of currency you are donating if you choose this route so we can add said currency to our wallet and track it on the eth/polygon/avax/bnb blockchains.

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