At the Turre command center, the point from which all actions are coordinated to face the tragic fire declared last Thursday in Los Gallardos, which has already claimed the lives of 12 people, there are dozens of vehicles parked nearby.
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Ambulances, vans, and cars from the Civil Guard, Civil Protection, Local Police, and also national… all are providing support to prevent the advance of a fire that, fortunately, was declared stabilized this Sunday. But there are other vehicles that stand out and are also key.
Located both at the entrance of the fire station and inside the compound, some bear the initials WCK, painted white on a blue background. There is no doubt, these belong to World Central Kitchen, the NGO of Spanish chef José Andrés that since 2010, when it first acted in the devastating Haiti earthquake, has been going to areas of natural disasters and armed conflicts to assist, mainly with food, those most in need. For this reason, they did not hesitate to move to the site with a dozen personnel.
On Saturday we distributed a total of about 500 breakfasts, lunches, and dinners
“We were activated from Madrid when the magnitude of the fire became known and we have been here for two days,” says to La Vanguardia one of the WCK workers deployed to the area, Sergio Alonso, who has traveled worldwide with this NGO to provide support in Gaza, Israel, after earthquakes like the recent ones in Venezuela, or also in humanitarian corridors.
“Our functions are several. On one hand, we work with local restaurants to inject money into the local economy and also provide support to emergency services and those affected,” he begins. “In response to this fire, we have activated five different points with the help of Civil Protection and attend to all those who need it. For example, on Saturday we distributed a total of about 500 breakfasts, lunches, and dinners from seven in the morning until the last teams left,” he continues.
One of WCK’s key points in response to the Almeria fire is precisely the one located at the advanced command post, with several tents bearing the same initials and colors that protect from the sun and heat hundreds of bottles of water, fruits, coffee, and also a kind of food truck where more elaborate food is prepared not only to serve those deployed in situ, “but also those who come up to put out the fire.” “We will be here until the command post is dissolved,” says Alonso, something that could happen “in a couple of days.”
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According to this NGO worker, WCK activates considering different factors “such as the state of the fire, characteristics of the affected populations, the number of deployed devices, and also the needs of local restaurants.” This Sunday, for example, the plan was to cook about 300 hamburgers for everyone in Turre.
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It is a satisfaction because we are where it is really needed
For Sergio Alonso, the role of this “apolitical first response NGO” is not only to provide food to those who need it but also to promote “resilience and community aid.” “That is why we also collaborate with local restaurants, so that the people of the town help the town,” he highlights.
Personally for Alonso, being part of WCK “is a satisfaction because we are where it is really needed.” “It is more than a plate of food, it is building community and resilience,” continues this young man.
In response to this newspaper, Sergio Alonso recalls other harsh experiences “like the fires in Ourense last year, which were very tough, or especially the DANA in Valencia. There will be nothing like it,” he laments.
As in the entire advanced command post, the activity of World Central Kitchen personnel is hectic throughout the day. One more example that the wave of solidarity has been enormous in the face of the devastating fire in Los Gallardos.
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