District VI CONGRESSMAN ALVARADO RAMON HIGUERA.
We train like our life depends on it
My introduction to the Ejido members;
Last June (2014) our Diputado asked us to help start a fire department in El Centenario.
We have prepared a document summary for you to consider and take home with you.
• 3 people died last year that might be a live today IF we had an ambulance in El Centenario.
• 3 of the 10 ambulance services don’t have attendants for their ambulances.
The most important things in life is the safety of our families, our friends, our neighbors and our community.
Fire And Ambulance Station ...
The Right Choice For The Public Safety Of El Centenario B.C.S.
Time Is The Enemy.
Time is a precious commodity, and it waits for no one. When lives are on the line, seconds count. If you are NOT breathing, you can die in approximately 4.5 minutes without medical help. It doesn't take very long for someone to bleed to death with no medical help. If a main artery is bleeding, minutes count and your life hangs in the balance.
We cannot wait for 45 minute to get an ambulance from La Paz!
Wouldn’t it be better to have an ambulance stationed in El Centenario?
When you house is on fire or your business is burning wouldn’t it be better to have a fire station in El Centenario?
La Paz fire station is 13 kilometers away, a long ways from our community.
Higher Survival Rates
As we evaluate our need for better emergency medical care needs, we need to focus exclusively on patient transportation issues. Most research, however, has demonstrated that rapid, on-scene medical intervention produces the best patient outcomes. Having a fire and EMS service located in El Centenario would give us the best position to deliver this critical care, as well as rapid patient transport. Fire-based EMS provides a comprehensive approach to emergency care, with trained personnel capable of handling any complication. The bottom line – a better chance for patient survival – is the true measure of quality for any pre-hospital emergency medical system. An ambulance or fire engine, 3 kilometers to the center of El Centenario is much better than one that is 13 kilometers away.
Rapid Response Times
Having a fire station and ambulances in El Centenario can provide the fastest response times to your family or business. The fire service is known for its rapid mobilization. Firefighters are the nation’s first responders and an El Centenario fire-based EMS can get to you faster. Our A comprehensive response within time limits set by the emergency medical community should be the goal for other EMS providers. It is routine for the fire service.
Quality of Care
Unacceptably high workloads and the shortage of ambulances from La Paz, all take their toll on the single-role EMS provider. Unfortunately, the citizens of El Centenario also invariably suffer from extremely long response times. The quality of care provided by some of the EMS services of La Paz are good, they are just too far away and to busy. The quality of care and service provided by La Paz fire department is exceptional but again the station is too far away from El Centenario.
Fire and EMS Station -- The Right Choice
El Centenario Citizens need a fire and ambulance system that works efficiently for us. Decision makers, therefore, must look at what our community is getting, particularly in the areas of response time, personnel capabilities and system efficiency. Only then can our community make an informed choice, about inefficient critical services that we currently get from La Paz.
The results of my presentation received a resounding "yes" to proceed.
Over the next few months we spent countless hours presenting the project to influential people who would support the project. Some of us meet once again District VI CONGRESSMAN ALVARADO RAMON HIGUERA. During this meeting it was suggested by the Congressmen that El Centenario should have the largest, most modern facilities and that it should last beyond the next 50 years. The committee began working to meet the objectives of the Project.
In July 2017 the Asociación de Bomberos Veteranos Voluntarios de Baja California Sur, Asociación Civil (BVVBCSAC) asked our committee to present our project to the group.
2017 we met with the Governor’s staff with a project update.
2017-07-14 The BVVBCSAC visits the location of the land provided by the Ejido de El Centenario
2017-08-09 Inform the Ejido El Centenario on the status of the concept drawings
2018-09-06 Project update – New La Paz Mayor’s meeting.
2018 The University commits to create the construction plans for the Project. This will be a multi-year project.
2018 we start our 1st Generation Academy using the library facilities every Sunday for the next two years.
2019-04-24 Meeting with President of Mexico Federal Representative Senator Victor Manuel Castro Cosio
2019-05-04 1st Generation Academy Graduation
2019-05-22 City Hall Land Transfer to City
General Secretary Alejandro Mota Trasviña, signed the deeds in favor of the City Hall, thanks to the donation made by Mr. Héctor Contreras Verdugo for the fire station project.
May 2019 construction plans update with the City of La Paz.
2019-06-10 Land Transfer to ABVVBCS
Having more fire stations in La Paz, has been one of the commitments established in terms of security and aid that has the municipal agenda, therefore, on behalf of the H. XVI City Council, the Municipal President Rubén Muñoz Álvarez, the Municipal Trustee Martha Judith Páez Osuna and the General Secretary Alejandro Mota Trasviña, signed the deeds in favor of the City Hall, thanks to the donation made by Héctor Contreras Verdugo. Regarding this important action, Trustee Martha Paez, explained that the donated property has an extension of 1.5 hectares and is located in Centenario, which, by means of a town council session, will be donated to the Municipality. The property will be donated to the Civil Association of Veteran Firefighters for the construction of a fire station in the subdelegation.
2019-08-18 Property Deed Delivered by Lic. Martha Páez Osuna, Síndico del H. XVL Ayuntamiento De La Paz
2019-08-18 2nd Academy Inuguration
We start our 2nd Generation Academy
COVID hits BCS and all construction, all outside activities are ordered halted by the government.
2020 We received a donation of this 1997 4X4 from Norm and Joyce Herring the acquired equipment improves services.
2021-05-08 2nd Generation Academy Graduation
2021-08-14, The E-505 engine arrives at El Centenario. It makes a 3000 mile trip from Minneota Fire Department in Minnesota, USA
This is El Centenario's first fire engine.
2021-November 5 Mayor’s update on the project.
From this meeting came the Mayor’s offer to use the Library facilities in El Centenario for a temporary station. We were instructed to take possession on Monday the 9th and begin preparing the facilities for use. We did as she ordered.
2021- November. This permit allows us to operate any where in Baja California Sur
The law requires us to be permitted to operate. We were the first volunteer organization to acquire this permit. DMPCLAP/GV-001
2021-November 5th began operating from the Library building.
2021-11-23 Municipal Protection Civil Permit Meeting
The law requires us to be permitted to operate. We were the first volunteer organization to acquire this permit. DMPCLAP/GV-001
2021 November. We acquired this 1988 Type III donated from Cabo San Lucas FD and improve services.
2023 We received donated equipment from Valley Center Fire Department in California.
2023 We received donated equipment from Valley Center Fire Department in California.
2023 We received donated equipment from Valley Center Fire Department in California.
2023 We continue to acquire equipment. Purchased with donations form Guadalajara in August. 2012 Type II
2024 August We received a donation from Kandiyohi Fire Department in the state of Minnesota USA of this 1988 Spartan 1,500 GPM engine with donations to transport it to El Centenario. We continue to improve services.
The HCBVEC can be contacted for a variety of reasons related to public safety and community engagement.
If you call our fire station at 612-296-8780 and we do not answer you are automatically transferred to our Captain of Communications after 20 seconds. We maybe out of the station on another emergency response.