“There are 210 sailors from the School and the Naval Prefecture in Maldonado who are prepared to revive a person who suffers from cardiac arrest”, indicated the Minister of National Defense, Javier García, in the evaluation of the agreement on safeguarding life on the coast of that department last summer season. There were 269 people rescued, three of them seriously ill and two transferred by air.
García and the local mayor, Enrique Antía, evaluated the application of the agreement signed between the Ministry of National Defense, through the National Navy, and the Municipality of Maldonado, which allowed reinforcing security at sea during last summer. The activity took place this Monday 6 at the Carlos Curbelo Naval Air Base, in Laguna del Sauce.
The agreement was signed in November 2021, so that the lifeguard brigade trains Navy personnel in cardiac resuscitation and the portfolio facilitates training for rescue at sea, as well as logistical support.
From the assessment, it emerged that there were 269 rescues, of which two people needed to be transferred by helicopter from José Ignacio and 211, assisted. In addition, 160 were trained in resuscitation and three heliports were made available, in Punta del Chileno, Punta Salinas and José Ignacio.
García pointed out that this is the first experience and that it is an example of how public institutions share their services and means to deal with emergencies and contingencies during the summer season, a time of year when Maldonado doubles its usual population.
He stressed that 210 Uruguayan sailors are trained to act in the event of respiratory arrest, a circumstance that causes 13 deaths per day in the country, and that, if the person who attends them knows how to proceed immediately, the probability of death decreases by 90%.
In addition, he stressed that it should be an activity to develop throughout the year. “Nothing goes well if there is no preparation. We have to continue working to prepare even more for the season, to continue making Maldonado a safe destination,” Garcia said.
Antía pointed out that the lifeguard corps, made up of 278 people, is one of the largest in the country and has been trained, which has resulted in saving more lives in this period. Likewise, he announced that the current heliport will be changed, since buildings are being built nearby, for the Parque de la Loma area, which will improve its functionality, as it is a place close to sanatoriums and health services.
