We started the day with our normal breakfast with lots of fresh OJ. YUMMMM! Each day we start the students with PT and a run. We head into the heart of town circling the square several time singing cadences while running. We sure get a lot of looks from the citizens. They know their fire department that is out training with the “Gringos”. It is a lot of fun doing the morning run this way and gives the community something to talk about.

Today I responded on my Mexican fire response in the engine. During this morning’s class the call came in for an unknown type fire on the outskirts of town. Now let me tell you how a fire response works here. The call somehow comes into “066” and get radioed to the fire fighters, Here in El Grullo “Oscar” the paid captain is the only one that can drive the engine. This is somewhat of a good plan because the streets are so narrow and choked with parked cars. More than once we had to do multipoint turns to get around parked cars, (I have trouble getting the mini van around here, none the less a large Fire engine) He is a very good driver! Oscar had to come from wherever he was, get the engine and respond while other firefighters responded via mopeds. It must have taken us 10 minutes to get less that two miles. One at the scene it turned out to only be a garbage fire that got into some tires. The bad part was, that the fire was at the water purification plant and may of damaged the utility lines that supply the plant.

Last night the beds that we bought for the firefighters were delivered, much to their surprise. They were very happy, something we all take for granite, a bed off the floor.

Today has been a full day of first aid and CPR training. (I think we need Cedar here to help. Last week at 3 ¾ years old, he taught his preschool classmates CPR, we are not sure if his teachers were ready for that or not)

Last night while both of the interpreters from our group (Gonzo and Jose) went to have a several hour meeting with the Mayor of Auytla. We went to at taco shop in the main square of town and were forced to order without help. We were all so happy that we managed to order in Spanish without any help. Of course when our food came we were let down, due to not getting what we thought we ordered. Despite that we all enjoyed our meal and finished to evening off by stopping at an ice cream shop. There is nearly no tourism in this region and very few people know any English.

I did learn the river in the gorge out of town runs year round and there is access on hour north into the gorge. (I’m thinking KAYAK run) I hope I can break free for a couple of hours before we leave and do some scouting. But I’m not going to hold my breath, our schedule is really tight. Tomorrow I will be spending all day leading the teaching of rope rescue, Sunday will be tactics, fire extinguishers and on Monday and Tuesday will be “Crunch Time Mexico” auto extraction.

We just finished a quick trip up to “Kent Washington”. “Kent Washington” is the name of a skateboard park up on the hill, paid for by one of the civic originations from Kent. The park unfortunately is just far enough out of town that it does not get used. ---Except by us, being that it is on the hillside it will be a great place to do our ropes class. The only down side it is on a south facing hillside with no shade. It will be a heavy sunscreen and lots of water day tomorrow.
It is so hard to get the experiences and paint a picture of these trips into just a few paragraphs. Please drop me a line ask any questions, give comments and let me know someone besides Rebecca is reading and following along.

Andy aka Kayakmedic

Check out the Jackson Kayak Sticker! I think there may be whitewater here in the rainy season

a day in the sun

some pics

El Grullo, I took this pic from the roof of where we are training with ladders.

dinner with the Mayor

So much of what happens on these trips gets done off the training ground. Having the right political connections is key to getting the whole system to work. Tonight we had dinner with “El Presidente” other wise known as the Mayor of El Grullo. The Mayor appears to have much more influence than even major US city mayors; it was a real honor to have dinner with him. We were picked up by the former Mayor, the only Female that has ever been elected in this area. We drove to the Mayor’s residence, a villa that looked like a drug cartel casa from the movies. He is a very well known businessman in the area and has made it possible to have five career firefighters to be hired since his election. He also was the one that allowed the training to take place in El Grullo. We were planning on training in Autla, but none of the equipment we were planning getting here including the engine, arrived in time for the training, so like most training we do, quickly a new plan was laid out and students are receiving great training. We were treated to some of the best enchiladas I have ever had, cooked by the Mayor himself. We also had the best-grilled prawns I have EVER had!! Some un-named members of our group did secure the continued need for Agave plants. (We’ll see if they show up for breakfast) Today at the fire station we did confirm the on duty crews are sleeping on mattresses on the floor. Noting the need for comfort all the instructors pulled cash together and bought them beds, they should be delivered in the morning.

Another great day of work. We started the day with PT that included a several kilometer run through the main square of the town. A few side aches, lots of sweat and even more smiles. Once PT was finished we split the group onto two teams and congealed the two groups b y having a team building exercise. Today the challenge was to move an egg from a starting point about 12’ and place it into a cup, only touching it with their personnel utility ropes. Neither of the eggs were broken and teams were solidified. Then it was off to the cultural center and fire station for advanced ladders and hose operations. Once again in near 100F heat, (just like at home) Tonight we have been invited to the Mayor’s home for dinner. I’ll try to write later tonight.
Andy

Mexico 07

Oh to Mexico

Oh what a fast change of events, a week and a half ago our house was selling and we were going to be “homeless” this week. Well last weekend the house sale fell through and looking for the bright side I said “hey now I con go to Mexico on the teaching trip! And Rebecca agreed as long as I agreed to go to Vietnam next month. So just a few days later I was on the plane, catching up to the group already in Mexico.

We are doing training in southwest Mexico between Guadalajara and Manzanillo in the state of Jalisco. (an area Pancho Villa apparently spent much time in based on his picture hanging every where) This is an area “TAP-FIRE” (the organization I am down here with) has come for several years as well as having support from Firefighters Crossing Borders. Currently we are in the town of El Grullo, which is a sister city of Kent WA. Two years ago the city of Kent donated a very nice 1989 Pierce engine that they surplused to the city of El Grullo. The fire department is very well established and supported by the local Government quite the contrast from Cambodia, were we feel like we are starting from scratch with limited support. One thing in common is the enthusiasm and eagerness of the students.

My adventure started Sunday night after getting no sleep on shift Saturday / Saturday night. A 21:00 flight from SEA to LAX and then a 01:45 flight from LAX to Guadalajara getting in right at sunrise Monday morning, with nearly no sleep on the flights. After getting through immigration and customs, I was met by Gonzalo Tello, a volunteer firefighter from Gig Harbor that had arrived two days before. After a couple of stops in Guadalajara, including a great breakfast at a market that included a 32oz fresh squeezed mixed juice we were off on a three plus hour drive to the training site in El Grullo. After leaving the outskirts of Guadalajara heading into the Sierra Madera’s, the drive and scenery looked identical as the drive from Phnom Penh to Sinokville in Cambodia, with rolling mountains, cactus and sparse vegetation. Once in the mountains there was quite a contrast from Cambodia with the vegetation continuing to be sparse and the desert continuing. The most amazing thing in the mountains were the thousands of acres of agave plants. Agave plants are the principle ingredient for Tequila. (I have not seen where they grow the worms yet) Also along the way I saw numerous authentic cowboys outfitted on horses. Oh yes, the car that picked us up and hauled us to El Grullo also was part of the adventure. Typical of much of the world, the standard are not quite the same as the USA, we only had to push start it nearly every time we stopped and my door would want to fall off if I opened it too wide (about 10”) but it did get us to our destination safe and sound. We arrived at the Hotel around 13:00 met with the rest of the group that was at lunch. Rather that getting some much needed sleep, I elected to go to the training site and get a “feel” for the students and what we would be doing. Well once there my stand back and watch for today plan didn’t last long, So I ended up helping teach ladders the rest of the day, after walking back to the hotel to get boots, helmet and gloves. The day was rounded off with dinner and a quick phone call to Rebecca. After three days with nearly no sleep I am caught up today and feeling great.

A little about the town we are in. El Grullo has a population of 32,000 including the surrounding areas and is one of the cleanest places I have ever seen! There is no litter, the streets and sidewalks are all washed and swept, the buildings despite being older than dirt all sport fresh paint, there is no signs of poverty, the people are very friendly and appear to be happy and content. It is very obvious the citizens here take a lot of pride in thier community. (I really like this place!) We really are in the “real Mexico” no fuffy resorts here.

Today we started with breakfast at a local restaurant (fried bread with jelly and bacon, withy a very large glass of fresh squeezed OJ. Then more training with ladders and hose opps at the canal. Lunch was provided by another local restaurant, Spanish rice, a meatball and potato soup, and fresh tortes with a fresh fruit drink served in a 5 gal. Bucket. (Yummmmm) Well training for the day is complete and I am posting this before we head out to dinner and getting a shower after training in near 100F heat. Will post more ASAP

Andy