Matamoros Bomberos finally get equipment from Los Fresnos Fire Department

By TONY VINDELL
LFN

Thousands of dollars worth of equipment to fight fires and other emergency situations is now in the hands of the Matamoros Fire Department.

The equipment was donated by the Los Fresnos Fire Department early this year but was finally delivered this month because the two entities had to follow a protocol involving the two nations.

Gabriela Fernandez, a member of Los Fresnos Rotary Club, met across the border with Matamoros Mayor Mario Alberto Lopez Hernadez, fire officials and Rotarians from the Mexican border city across from Brownsville.

“We delivered the equipment to the Rotarian International Chapter,” she said. “They held a nice ceremony. Everybody was extremely thankful for getting this much needed equipment.”

The equipment, worth about $40,000, included a brush truck, the jaws of life, boots, oxygen tanks and numerous other gadgets used to combat fire and for other situations such as vehicle accidents when passengers are pinned inside and need to be extricated.

The donation took place thanks to the work of fire LFFD volunteer, Cynthia Rio, who has relatives in Matamoros.

Ellison Crider, governor with the Rotary Club District 5930, said this was the first time their organization made such a contact between the two countries and described the meeting as historical.

Miguel Trevino, a Matamoros Rotarian and president of the city Chamber of Industries, thanked the LFFD for such an important donation.

He said the MFD had one working engine, one water truck and two pumps, and a department staffed with 50 firefighters for a city of more than 600,000.

By contrast, LFFD has about 40 volunteers, covering an area with an estimated 30,000 people.

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