A routine bus journey in Alicante transformed into a life-saving race on June 12th. A 64-year-old German tourist experienced cardiac arrest aboard the vehicle and stopped breathing. For eight minutes, officers from the Local and National Police performed resuscitation maneuvers until the individual regained pulse and respiration.
Three months after the incident, the five involved officers received official recognition from the Consulate of Germany in Alicante. The institution acknowledged the professionalism, coordination, and humanity of the officers, who managed to keep the tourist alive until emergency medical services arrived.
The events unfolded mid-afternoon when the Local Police received a report of an unconscious man on a city bus. Upon arrival, officers confirmed the victim was in cardiopulmonary arrest. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) maneuvers began at 5:23 PM, with two National Police officers later joining and taking turns to maintain continuous CPR.
A semi-automatic defibrillator, provided by the National Police, was used and recommended up to three shocks. After eight minutes of intense resuscitation, the tourist began breathing again and regained a pulse. A Basic Life Support ambulance and a SAMU team continued the medical assistance, fully stabilizing the patient before urgently transferring him to the General Hospital of Alicante, where he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.
“"This humanitarian gesture demonstrates the professionalism and coordination of the security forces, and conveys a magnificent image of humanity from Alicante and Spain."
The German Consul, Nuria von Kapff, highlighted the officers' "great humanitarian gesture," conveying the gratitude of the rescued citizen, his family, and the German society. The Councilor for Security, Julio Calero, emphasized that police work extends beyond crime prevention to include citizen assistance and effective response in critical moments. He praised the continuous training of officers in CPR techniques and defibrillator use, knowledge that proved decisive that afternoon.
