Border Cities Are Burdened With Calls for Help
CALEXICO, Calif. — The calls come in thick and fast from the border, just blocks from the fire station here.
A woman suffered heatstroke in line at the port of entry. A person detained by customs officers complained of chest pain. An illegal immigrant broke his leg trying to hop the 20-foot wall that divides Calexico from its Mexican twin city, Mexicali.
In each case, the Calexico Fire Department responded.
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Last year, with trips to the port of entry and the Border Patrol station and others to assist injured fence-jumpers, Calexico firefighters responded to 725 calls associated with the border — a fifth of all calls the department received.
Chief Pete Mercado said the department’s lone ambulance would sometimes make 10 trips to the port of entry in a given day. For many of those, he said, the department is not able to collect payment, while the ambulance is rendered unavailable for other emergencies.
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In San Diego, the Fire Department responded to more than 2,000 medical emergencies at border crossings last year. In San Luis, Ariz., at least 70 percent of the calls that the Fire Department receives come from the port of entry, officials said.
full: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/us/cities-on-border-with-mexico-burdened-by-calls-for-medical-help.html
I understand that American public safety departments should respond to incidents on American soil. The Canadian and Mexican local public safety agencies thus should respond to whatever happens on their lands. But why should it be only American paramedics responding to emergencies at border crossings, or is this article one-sided? Perhaps it's time for Mexican states to start investing in their fire departments.
