The collaborative efforts of the Midday Rotary Club and the San Miguel Community Foundation resulted in the Fire Department (Bomberos) of San Miguel de Allende successfully refurbishing an old truck. Chairman of the Bomberos board, Juan Antonio Pérez Solis said, “The truck we received was originally given to us a few years ago, but it had many defects and for about a year was left in the truck plant in Salamanca. We needed about 150,000 pesos to repair it.” Plans were made to buy a truck in Arizona, but the acquisition was not feasible, and the expat community decided to support the Fire Department by repairing the truck, which now is in excellent condition.
The Midday Rotary Club and the Rotary Club of Trail Blazer, Canada, along with the San Miguel Community Foundation helped the firefighters raise the necessary funds for repairs. The truck is the ideal size for San Miguel’s narrow cobble-stoned streets. Pérez also announced that another truck is in repairs and will be ready in about 10 weeks at a cost of 150,000 pesos. “We have already paid 100,000 pesos thanks to money raised by selling Firemen calendars with the support from the Rotary Club.” He said a new fire truck costs about 1.2 million pesos and currently it is impossible to buy one.
John Doherty, a member of the Midday Rotary Club, added, “I went with my fireman’s helmet to the San Miguel Community Foundation to ask for their cooperation and we raised US$7,500 to repair this truck, and we’re working with the calendar sales to repair a second truck. We are very proud to work with the firefighters.”
The Fire Department currently has three first-response fire trucks, a rescue truck, two ambulances, two utility trucks and a 10,000-liter tanker truck. The department’s staff of 60 is made up of firefighters and emergency medical technicians who respond to fires as well as deal with gas leaks, hazardous materials management, automobile rescue and medical emergencies.
During the official handover of the fire truck, Mayor Luz Maria (Lucy) Núñez; president of the Rotary Club–Midday, Enrique Orvañanos; president of the Fire Department, Juan Antonio Pérez Solis; director of Liaison with NGOs Irma Rosado and members of the San Miguel Community Foundation, among others, were present.
