10 days after the terrible floods which affected the Valencia region in Spain, people from Hérault are mobilizing to support people in need. This is the case of Jérémy Jodar Giménez, a volunteer firefighter whose family comes from a disaster-stricken town. He decided to go there with two of his fellow firefighters, after organizing a donation drive. He hits the road Saturday, November 9 in the evening.
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He didn’t really think twice when he saw the extent of the flooding in the Valencia region (Spain) at the end of October. Jérémy Jodar Giménez, a volunteer firefighter from Hérault of Spanish origin, will hit the road with two of his fellow firefighters. His mission: to help a large part of his family there, and all the victims.
“Not having heard from my family for 48 hours affected me. I was very scared: I didn’t know where they were, if they were taken away or safe” he confides.
Very quickly, he wanted to act and decided to organize a convoy: direction Paiporta, 700 kilometers from Hérault. This is the town where his relatives live, and it is one of the most affected by the disaster. This initiative is purely personal and voluntary because the Hérault firefighters have not yet received agreement from Spain for a potential intervention.
“I started this on a whim last Sunday: in six days, we had to plan how to get there and where we would sleep” indicates the firefighter, also a business manager, ready to hit the road the day after the floods if necessary. “We will take the temperature there, and we will surely go to the other affected municipalities, according to requests and needs.” he adds.
Lucid, he is aware of what awaits him. “There is a trauma aspect to take into account. My uncle tells me the same things on the phone” he illustrates.
To succeed in his mission, he is launching a call for donations as well as an online fundraiser to finance the trip. It has already reached €1,000. Since last Sunday, the promises of packages have also multiplied.
And dozens of people dropped off hundreds of boxes on Friday afternoon. “All these bags are donations from associations, friends, acquaintances or strangers” confirms Jérémy Jodar Giménez, already hard at work during the floods in Aude a few years ago. “I didn’t think we would have so many. I am very surprised by the generosity of people.“
Among the items collected: hygiene products, food, clothing especially for babies, diapers and shampoos. “It’s very important, it’s a disaster for them” estimates one of the donors present on site. “We have to help each other. It’s normal, it’s almost obligatory.“
In addition to all these products, Jérémy Jodar Giménez and his two friends take construction equipment. “We leave with chainsaws, brooms, grinders, masks, helmets” he lists. “We also have diving suits, boots, lamps, and all the equipment that we were able to collect so that we can work independently there.“
A complete device “fully loaded” in the van and trailer, where “the smallest space must be completed” indicates the volunteer firefighter. “We’re not really used to doing this but we’re doing well.“
The three volunteer firefighters are hitting the road this evening and will arrive tomorrow morning, ready to help as soon as they arrive. “We will discover things day by day. We’ll see what awaits us there” serenely summarizes Jérémy Jodar Giménez.
With his two colleagues, he should stay there for a week. Jérémy Jodar Giménez already hopes to leave at the beginning of December, thanks to the resources of certain municipalities in the Region.
