Mayor Natalia Chueca exclaimed, “We have the best firefighters in the world!”, and declared that “the best neighbors deserve the best festival—and that’s what we’re going to have!”. She also offered words of support for Ceuta: “To our neighbors in Ceuta: we haven’t forgotten you! On our biggest days, we send you all our love. Zaragoza stands with you!”. She then encouraged the entire city “to enjoy themselves, sing and dance” during the festival.
The central moment, which surprised those gathered in the square, came when five climbers descended from the roof of City Hall. Clemente Sánchez and Ester Fajardo, both dressed in formal attire, waited beside the microphone accompanied by four other service representatives—operational staff, auxiliary staff, medical personnel, civil protection and command staff—in work uniforms. The climbers descended the facade to hand them the parchment containing the speech, then continued rappelling down to the square to the music of the Colla de Bomberos.
During the proclamation, the firefighters thanked the city for “its constant affection” and recalled their “permanent watch” in response to fires, flooding of the Ebro, climate emergencies and rescues. They paid special tribute to firefighters Javier García Sancho and Juan Luis Alonso, who died in the line of duty this summer and represent “unreserved commitment, selfless dedication and limitless courage”. They concluded with a “safety tip”: “May the only emergencies these days be the desire to have a good time, and may the only excess be happiness”.
