Chef José Andrés cannot take two steps in a row through Valencia without being interrupted to say thank you. While talking on the phone with ABC, he goes to one of the food markets in what is known as ground zero of the dana that he and his immense network of collaborators from the NGO World Central Kitchen (WCK) have helped gradually return to normality. Their help, in the face of the most visible, has not only been distributing food since practically the same day in which the water and mud destroyed the normality of almost 200,000 people. This Tuesday, December 19, 51 days after that fateful October 29, he took stock of what he experienced. This is reflected in a call in which, he confesses, “he wants to talk” and at the same time “thanks” for the dissemination that The media gives credit to the supportive and altruistic work they have provided to everyone who has needed it in this crisis. Despite the effort and emotional exhaustion – he has also suffered firsthand the loss of family members – his voice shows more energy than fatigue. Also demands, far from any political noise, that very forcefully demand from all the actors involved “learning so that this does not happen again.” Standard Related News If Soul Food Nights 2024 focuses on those affected by DANA in Valencia Adrián Delgado This event celebrates its 11th edition, in collaboration with Acción contra el Hambre, and maintains its objective of raising funds for those who face situations of vulnerability intact. How long did it take WCK to mobilize for the Valencia dana? –In fact our mobilization comes before the tragedy occurs. It wasn’t a category five hurricane and this was a little harder to follow. But there were people warning that he was going to get into trouble. That same Tuesday we already saw that there was trouble and we put out a tweet saying that our people were already starting up. At around 7:30 p.m., we saw that there were towns affected and that we were going to have to activate. At that time we started the truck protocol and started ordering sandwiches. Quickly there were people who began to come from Madrid to here when we saw what happened after 8 pm at the end of the day. – When did you realize the seriousness of what was happening? – Very soon. We started several more teams that began to come from other countries. We had the first meals the next day – Wednesday the 30th –, around noon. More than giving food, the urgent thing was to bring it and get water. When we began to distribute those basic rations we began to see the seriousness, the reality of the matter. – When did Valencia arrive? – Now we are remembering, after so many days here. I think I arrived on Wednesday night. – What is the most urgent thing in an emergency of this magnitude? – The first thing we do is distribute satellites because there were no communications. It is very difficult to attend to an emergency without them. And, obviously, reach as many towns as possible, with the scouts we have and always bringing sandwiches and water. But at the same time we must always collect information in real time to transfer it to our situation map in which we see how our response will have to be. – The chefs, many of them with Michelin star restaurants, closed their restaurants to help.–We were increasing food very quickly, with the help of all the cooks who joined our effort, which is the smartest way to do it. It was a very nice answer. When you work in a group, lay out maps and systematize everything, the response is always more efficient. The best chefs in Valencia immediately offered themselves. For example, Luis Valls, two stars in Quique Dacosta’s El Poblet. There are so many that it is unfair that I mention some and not others. The selfless help of all of them did not allow us to increase the number of meals very quickly. – The restaurant kitchens could not cope and WCK mobilized resources that it had already used in crises such as the war in Ukraine. – We set up the Tourism Center space ( CdT) of Valencia and there we were able to begin to increase the number of sandwiches and fruits. We had to diversify the restaurants to optimize proximity to the affected and cut-off towns. It was necessary to have as little movement as possible at a time when driving between towns was very complicated due to the lack of streets, bridges, and highways. In addition, restaurants had to return to normal activity. So, we activated the truck that we use on the Polish-Ukrainian border with the capacity to easily make one hundred thousand meals a day. –And was it enough? –Separately, we set up the Tinglados kitchen – the logistics center that WCK set up in the Port of Valencia–. It was prepared to make 250,000 hot meals a day. We didn’t need to make those ration levels. But here is a maxim that I always sell and that is that we can never lose an emergency to do a dress rehearsal. – Take advantage of that emergency to test new forms of response? – Yes. Never lose an emergency to train and train your people . That’s why we opened that great kitchen in Los Tinglados. We have had more than fifteen thousand registered volunteers and many more who have registered us. We have done many thingsJosé Andrés poses with World Central Kitchen volunteers who have worked in Valencia wck–And what other things has WCK done that have not been so well known?–We wanted to help clean and reopen local stores. We distributed almost 40,000 boxes of 15 kilos of dry foods such as lentils, pasta, oil, etc. And also more than 30,000 ten kilo bags of fruit and vegetables. It was also necessary to cover the specific needs of the population that could cook, but did not have a car or did not have access to stores or money to make purchases. We help recover the activity of the Catarroja market. It was necessary to revive that business muscle that these small towns have by opening the bakeries, churrerías, and fruit shops again. Obviously we gave them all the food for free. –Hunger is not the only thing that presses in the face of a tragedy of this magnitude. –True. In addition to food, what in the end must always be given to the victims is their dignity. We help punctually with bilge pumps, generators that we have installed in Town Halls and fifty satellites that help police, civil guards, the EMU or clinics. –They have even brought fodder so that the animals do not die of hunger. –There are many small emergencies within an emergency. We brought hay to Eva, a shepherdess who needed help because her sheep had no grass. She herself was the one who later helped other shepherds with whom she had a connection so that the animals did not die. Wave of solidarity «In Valencia we have had a biblical human army. I have seen it in few places. For example in Beirut where they practically have no government» José Andrés Founder and director of WCK – What has WCK put into practice of everything learned in the catastrophes that you have attended in the past? – First of all, the empathy of the people. When there are so many people so committed to their people, the only thing you have to do is know how to redirect all that effort. In Valencia we have had a biblical human army. I have seen it in few places. For example in Beirut where they practically have no government. And the people there came out to clean everything in a way that had not been seen in modern history. –On your networks you have shown yourself moved several times by the wave of popular solidarity. –It has been very nice. As a Spaniard I have felt enormous pride in seeing what has happened here. People, Valencians and other Spaniards from all over, have been here because they knew they had to be next to their people. That is a very powerful thing. –A lesson also from what this catastrophe has left behind? –Yes. And that is the least we can always ask of our politicians, on one side or the other. Let them see that people are there and that what they need is leadership so that we can all bring out the best in ourselves. I think that that social force that we have seen here in Valencia, everyone behind the Valencian flag and behind the Spanish flag and next to the people who need you, is something worth emphasizing. And although it has been talked about, we must continue to emphasize that this is very magical. -The discontent of those affected with the initial response of the authorities is an open wound 50 days later. -Firefighters do not wait to be called to a fire. They go crazy as soon as they see a fire. We have to learn. I am very proud of the UME, but they should have autonomous power to activate themselves when events of this magnitude occur. Like us, these people have blood, they have the heart for it and it is born on its own. And the worst that can happen is that given that impulse you have to turn back and return to the barracks. –Have you seen how that happened on the ground? –As you know, everything is very tense. I say this more than as criticism, as learning. In emergencies, I insist, the most important thing is that you learn from them. If you don’t do it, it will happen to you again. And worse. We have to listen much more to technicians and experts. –Do you think that WCK leaves any learning to the public organizations with which it has collaborated in the dana? –I am sure that many people who have worked alongside us have learned with us. And, unfortunately, they will turn to new emergencies in Spain or around the world. God forbid they happen. I was very excited that the UME wanted to visit our logistics center in Los Tinglados. They spent a morning with me and we explained a little about our philosophy and above all how we responded to this dana. I am in love with the Military Emergency Unit. I have already seen them work in other places such as the La Palma volcano. He came out of them. -He has highlighted the role of the Army on many occasions. -I did my military service in Juan Sebastián del Cano and I know how important it is to have discipline and military organization. I also learn a lot from them. Much more than food «Sometimes, people just need to feel that someone cares about them. The worst thing is when people lose hope. It is very important that they do not lose it, that they feel loved and that you are by their side.” José Andrés Founder and director of WCK – How do you deal with the emotional exhaustion of managing this entire operation amidst so much pain and so many victims? – Without realizing it, One of the first places I tried to go see was Paiporta. He had in-laws there through a nephew. A baby and his mother, unfortunately, died. Imagine… When it touches you directly everything becomes more real if possible. We’re not just here for the food or the water. Sometimes people just need to feel like someone cares about them. The worst thing is when people lose hope. It is very important that they do not lose it, that they feel loved and that you are by their side. We need them to be the ones to lift themselves up so that the recovery is not so slow. –On the ground, is there much left to do? –I think that, God willing and we hope that the aid that is being promised for Let them open businesses and move forward, the recovery will be faster than it seems. People are eager. Very little has to be done so that people really gain strength and we return to what we were. –In this entire process, you have been moved by the commitment of the young people.– I vote for all of them. It has been the most beautiful thing. For the young and for the not so young. For all those who have helped. MORE INFORMATION news Yes The restaurant in the Salamanca neighborhood where you can eat green oysters news Yes The best vegetable restaurant in the world is in Madrid – When are you returning to the US? – I’ll stay here until on the 21st. My daughters will come and we will have a small family celebration here. –And WCK, will you continue working in the area? –He will stay here until January or maybe February, but I already have to continue. I have to recover. It has been a year of many emergencies. Remember this is my hobby. It’s not my job. Others go to play golf and I come to these things.
#José #Andrés #worst #damage #Attending #emergencies #hobby #job #play #golf
