José Luis García Martín, an INAER helicopter captain, has been awarded the Gold Medal for Civil Protection by the “Generalitat Valenciana” (Valencia Regional government) at the 11th Conference on Public Safety and Emergencies, for his complete dedication for more than 20 years to the emergency and civil protection services.

Serafín Castellano, the Valencia Regional Government Minister, said that “it is an honour for us to pay tribute to the work carried out on a daily basis by professionals and volunteers, who belong to the organisations and bodies present here today, in the field of public safety and emergencies”.

The 11th Conference on Public Safety and Emergencies, featuring 70 vehicles of different types, helicopters and 21 stands, was attended by almost 600 professionals and volunteers. All of them, thanked by the Minister for their work and commitment, prepared a variety of drills and workshops to give people an insight into their work.

Serafín Castellano ended by highlighting how this conference, held for the first time in 2002 on the day the 112 emergency telephone number was implemented, has become a established event in the calendar. He underlined the Council’s commitment to safety and emergencies, “which has made us a benchmark for other regions in the field of civil protection and emergencies, a field in which, together, we will keep taking steps in the right direction to ensure we remain pioneers to the benefit of all citizens”.