They were the first on the scene with the victims of the Valencia fire. They coordinated where people would sleep, what or who they needed, and they provided psychological support to families and survivors from the very first moment. They offered the first embrace and became the safety net that some victims or relatives needed as they faced the flame and realized a loved one was inside.
The expert group called the Emergency Care Service of Social Services (Sauss) belongs to the City Council of Valencia and is made up of psychologists, social workers, and social integrators.
They were also among the earliest to raise the alarm when a team happened to pass by the building as it began to burn. “They stopped and stayed right there, alerted authorities, and in a short time we had a team of 11 people,” recalls Mireia García, head of the service, the one who had to decide how to welcome the victims as quickly and effectively as possible.
The Sauss specialists were the first to confront the trauma and tragedy, and Mireia led the charge in coordinating this emergency. “We have worked in many social emergencies, but nothing like this,” she explains from a center that supports families beside the burned building.
Acompañar en el dolor
“They showed me several possible venues and I decided that the Valientes site was the best to temporarily relocate the victims. In the meantime, we were already looking for a hotel where they could spend the night. We sent teams to the building’s door, to the hotel, and to the local site, groups of psychologists to help the people who had just lost everything,” she explains.
What was done first was to organize a registration line where Sauss and police recorded information about the victims or their relatives who approached. “There were people who spoke by phone with a missing relative while the fire raged, and when they arrived there they watched the fire engulf the building. Those were incredibly tough moments,” she notes.
As the line was formed, the operation settled into three points: the hotel, the queue, and the Valientes site. In all locations, specialists of every kind supported the families who had just lost their homes. “Those needing shelter were provided for, and buses from EMT were mobilized for transportation while supplies arrived to cover their needs,” she says.
By the next morning, another nearby center was added where the families of the missing or the affected could go to speak with the team about anything they needed.
Communicating the bad news
The same night of the tragedy, coordinating communication with the families became essential. Mireia García notes that the mayor of Valencia, Maria José Catalá, personally oversaw this task. “It was crucial that information flowed, and as soon as we had truthful information in the early hours, we told the families, especially those of the missing, that the chances of finding their loved ones alive were already null,” she explains.
The team led by García also included members from Cicu, the National and Local Police, the UME, and the Red Cross, all available to support the victims as needed.
Despite everything, pain cannot always be softened. “The only thing we could do was accompany them, and that already means a lot. If someone needed to see the building burn, we arranged for that, with one of our specialists beside them for anything they needed. You can’t force people, but you can accompany them in their grief,” she explains. For that reason, it was emphasized that victims should not be medicated: “Grief is essential to begin healthy mourning,” she adds.
The wounds that will remain
The fire’s aftermath leaves many open wounds and questions, not only for the families. “We will probably be the next ones to go into therapy. You can’t avoid being affected. Many workers hugged families who watched their building burn and could not see their loved ones. This is something we will need to address later, once everything is stabilized,” she says.
But not yet. During an interview at the care center’s entrance, Mireia’s phone keeps buzzing and the Sauss staff keep asking her questions. She responds with efficiency to coordinate the setup so that the families are always accompanied by a Sauss worker for everything they need.
This Monday, a meeting at the Valencia City Hall is planned to decide on mid-term support for the families. The city’s mayor has already announced that a 131-home social housing building will be made available to those affected.