Laura Velázquez Alzúa, National Coordinator of Civil Protection (CNPC), announced the unveiling of the statue in honor of Frida, a rescue dog who rose to fame for her search and rescue work during the September 19, 2017 earthquake in Mexico.
“Frida is 13 years old, her beauty radiates us. Today we unveil her statue and it has filled us with emotion to see it. We are proud of her tenacity in the search and rescue of people within the Canine Unit and the Urban Search and Rescue Unit of the Mexican Navy” Velázquez Alzúa wrote this Thursday, October 6 in Twitter.
It was the head of the Secretary of the Navy (Semar), José Rafael Ojeda Durán, who unveiled the statue of the dog Frida, who this year turned 13 years old and is currently in retirement since June 24, 2019 .
The following can be read on the commemorative plaque: “In tribute to the extraordinary work you had as a member of our noble institution. In gratitude for the affection and love that you continue to sow in our great Naval family, in millions of Mexican men and women, and beyond our borders. Your life motivates us to continue giving everything to serve Mexico. Thank you dear Frida!”
In the statue, Frida is wearing the special rescue uniform, with goggles, harness, and safety boots. It is also made of bronze and is the work of the sculptor Victor Hugo. This life-size statue of Frida was placed on the esplanade located at Gate 4 and the main building of Semar, located in the Coyoacán office in Mexico City.
The head of Semar stressed that Frida symbolizes esprit de corps, camaraderie, and the union of all the elements of the Navy that participate in the Navy. “She also represents hope for thousands of families in their most difficult times,” he noted.
Months ago, elements of the Semar affirmed that the suffering of the dog Frida does not put her life at risk since they are typical of a dog of her age; Likewise, Frida retired with honors on June 24, 2019, within the framework of International Rescuers’ Day.
During her nine-year career, Frida was part of approximately 53 rescue operations in Mexico, Haiti, Guatemala, and Ecuador. In 2010 she participated in the rescue of people during the earthquake in Haiti with a scale of 7.0 and in 2016 in Ecuador with a scale of 7.8.
In January 2013, she supported the search for victims after the explosion of the Pemex Tower in the Anzures neighborhood of the Miguel Hidalgo in Mexico City.
In 2017, after the magnitude 7.1 earthquake, there were several collapses, among which Álvaro Obregón 286, the Enrique Rébsamen school, and the Multifamiliar de Tlalpan. Frida won the hearts of Mexicans after getting into collapsed buildings to try to locate people alive in the aftermath.
The earthquake was recorded at 1:14 p.m. with a magnitude of 7.1 with an epicenter 8 kilometers northwest of Chiautla de Tapia in Puebla. Mexico City, Morelos, Puebla, State of Mexico, Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Tlaxcala were the most affected states. In the capital, 228 deaths were recorded, in Morelos 74, in Puebla 45, in Edomex 15, Guerrero 6, and in Oaxaca 1. In total, Frida saved 12 people alive and recovered about 41 bodies during her career.
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