Los bomberos

During our trip, our group split into two. One group would go with the Red Cross one day, the other to work with the firemen - bomberos. Our group would alternate on the following day so both could experience the local medical services.

When my group arrived at the Central Fire Station in Puerto Peñasco, we were greeted by Captain Jose Cruz, who had worked in the department for over 43 years. He explained that in Peñasco there were three stations, each with five working EMTs working 24-hour shifts. The bomberos were said to be a mix of volunteers and several paid employees.

According to Cruz,...