With just about twenty days left in their 2016 Annual Fundraising Drive, the Puerto Peñasco branch of the Red Cross recently added three vehicles to their motor pool. The vehicles, consisting of two refurbished ambulances and a Ford Expedition were acquired, as Red Cross Board President Julio Valenzuela detailed, via current collection efforts. He explained assistance this year from the City administration in addressing costs of diesel and payroll has made it possible for the Red Cross to put funds toward goals such as expanding the motor pool and improved infrastructure. Valenzuela noted while they are nearly halfway toward the 2016 fundraising goal, following acquisition of these vehicles they are near their expense limit and therefore invite individuals and local businesses to continue to support collection efforts through the end of the Fundraising Drive (which ends May 7th).
The Red Cross of Puerto Peñasco has 56 mostly volunteer emergency personnel, among them EMTs, emergency doctors, as well as incoming EMT students. In addition, a third class of EMT students will soon begin their studies through the institution. With the latest acquisition, the local Red Cross motor pool consists of 10 vehicles and, according to data provided by the local office, they respond to an average of 450 ambulance calls monthly while providing approximately 5000 different forms of attention and care to the community and visitors. Enrique Brown, State Coordinator of Red Cross Mexico, stressed Puerto Peñasco’s importance to the Red Cross particularly due to increased tourism in the area.
