'Rescuers' don’t go on holiday

On Saturday afternoon the Captain Oliva (posted in the Mixed Artillery Regiment of the Ceuta General Command) was on the Chorrillo beach (of the autonomous city) with some friends when they saw a group of people looking concerned about something serious. He got closer and saw that a two-year-old boy appeared to be drowning. After identifying himself as an officer nurse  to the lifeguards who distanced the onlookers, he proceeded to carry out cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Subsequently, the young boy was moved to a first aid station; his vital signs were weak so they continued with the C.P.R until the arrival of a doctor, who then administered the boy with oxygen. At that time, an ambulance arrived which took the boy to a helicopter to be evacuated to the Paediatric ICU in the hospital in Cádiz. At present, he continues to make good progress and has now been moved from the more intensive care unit to another unit of the hospital.

On the other hand, the Full Corporal Norberto (posted in the Barracks Services Unit “San Cristobal-Canillejas” in Madrid) was enjoying a family celebration in a country home in the Madrid locality El Molar when he heard screams coming from the swimming pool of the country home. He quickly moved closer to the area where he saw a five-year-old girl drowning. He quickly jumped into the water and saved her, wrapping her in a towel and calming her down as she was having a panic attack. The other people present, all surprised at what was happening, helped out.

Both militaries reacted quickly and made vital decisions which affected the course of the events and showed that “rescuers” don’t go on holiday when there is work to be done.