Fire department fosters ties with Puerto Vallarta

Boulder firefighter Manny Garcia overheard a discussion a couple of years ago about the fire department needing to unload older, excess equipment.

He offered to find it a new home and connected with the fire chief in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. He said he and his wife like to travel and previously had visited the popular beach destination. He’s also a first generation American with roots in Mexico.

“My natural instinct was to give back to the culture where I grew up,” he said.

Since that first donation, he’s helped organize several more trips to take firefighting supplies to Puerto Vallarta and some nearby rural fire departments, as well as coordinating training sessions there on wildfires, engineering, and safety and survival.

While the pandemic has put training sessions on hold, he said, the goal is to schedule two a year.

To cement what’s becoming a “sister city,” or sister fire department, connection between the two, Puerto Vallarta Fire Chief Adrian Bobadilla traveled to Boulder last week. He meet Boulder Fire Chief Michael Calderazzo on Thursday, took a tour of the Boulder County Regional Fire Training Center and picked up more equipment to take to Mexico. “We are very, very happy with all the help,” Bobadilla said.

In a city that depends on tourism, he said, it’s been a struggle to afford updated equipment. His firefighters also respond not just to structure fires, but ocean rescues and wildfires.

Garcia said Boulder Fire Rescue is lucky to have high quality equipment, noting Puerto Vallerta only has five fire hydrants in a city of about 300,000. The fire department also has older fire trucks, with only about 200 feet of hose per truck. A Boulder fire truck has about 3,000 feet of hose.

Donations from Boulder have included about 150 fire suits, as well as boots, masks and fire hoses. One of Garcia’s goals is to add a newer fire truck to the donation pile.

Calderazzo said it’s a mutually beneficial relationship. Boulder firefighters who have traveled to Mexico to help with training come back “with a glow.”

“They see the fire service as an international family,” he said. “We can show support for one another.”

Cliff Grassmick, Daily Camera Boulder Fire Chief Michael Calderazzo, left, welcomes Puerto Villarta, Mexico, Fire Chief Adrian Bobadilla, right, as Manny Garcia looks on. Garcia has been collecting old fire gear at his department and donating it to rural departments in and around Puerto Villarta.