In her speech, the head of Defense stressed that today's is also a tribute "to the health workers, social workers, SAMUR and all the people who have turned as the Armed Forces have done", ensuring that the IFEMA's spirit is "the spirit of solidarity, the spirit of progress, of generosity and of joint work".
Lastly, he highlighted that, "although there is still a lot to do", because we are in an initial phase, "we are going to beat this virus all together".
Upon arrival at the fairgrounds, the Minister was received by the Chief of Defense Staff, General of the Air Miguel Ángel Villarroya; the director of the IFEMA Hospital, Antonio Zapatero Gaviria; the Director of Communication and Marketing of IFEMA, Raúl Díez Vázquez; and MOPS Operations Deputy, Brigadier General José Manuel Vivas Urieta.
Accompanied by the Secretary of State for Defense, Ángel Olivares, the minister attended a presentation on the data related to IFEMA in the context of the ´Balmis´ operation. He then made a tour of the facilities in Hall 9, where the hospital and the Intensive Care Unit remained installed.
The entourage then moved to Hall 10, the headquarters of the logistics center, and Hall 14, where an accommodation area for the homeless was established.
After finishing the tour and in the lobby of Hall 14, Robles has presented a commemorative plaque to the Director of Communication and Marketing of IFEMA, with the following text: "To all the great heroes of Madrid, men and women who, united and in solidarity, have fought with generosity, dedication and professionalism to COVID-19 ".
IFEMA Hospital
On March 21, personnel from different units of the Spanish Army began reconnaissance to study the installation of the so-called IFEMA Campaign Hospital. On March 25, the execution began, which lasted until April 9, and in which troops from various units participated daily: Health Brigade (35), Engineer Command (21), Transport Command (28), Brigade Parachutist (39) and Brigade XII (26).
The device included the transfer of a significant amount of material: 50 articulated beds, 8 10-ton trucks, 2 personnel vans, 20 Aníbal Santana vehicles, 6 VAMTAC vehicles, 10 VEMPAR + 10 trailers, 4 shower containers, 14 mixed WC containers. , 4 ablution containers, 1 cargo container, 1 air compressor, 1 4-ton truck, 1 bus for the transport of personnel, 8 TOLPIN stores (which are still deployed), as well as the assembly of 400 articulated beds in pavilions 7 and 5. The device assumed a total time spent of 245 hours per person until the hospital closed.
In addition, the XII Brigade installed a shelter for 180 people in the Marqués de Samaranch Municipal Sports Center, employing 20 more people and additional equipment for its preparation, including 1 10-ton truck, 1 bus for transporting personnel, 75 double tent bunks and 11 bench-table sets.
