Texas Border Business
By Selene Rodriguez
The City of McAllen, in collaboration with South Texas College, has launched the inaugural Bombero/Firefighter Exchange Training, a groundbreaking initiative that welcomes firefighters from multiple cities in Mexico for a two-day, hands-on training experience to enhance their first responder capabilities.
“Regardless of the country we come from, we all speak one language, and that language is fire service. Emergency services unite us all, no matter where we’re from, we share the same stories of responding to crises and helping our communities,” said McAllen Fire Chief Juan Gloria. “While McAllen firefighters are leading this training, it’s truly an exchange. It’s an opportunity to learn from one another, broaden our perspectives and continue improving ourselves for the betterment of our communities.”
In conjunction with the McAllen Fire Department, STC’s Regional Center for Public Safety Excellence (RCPSE) played a key role in supporting the initiative by providing essential training resources and awarding continuing education certificates, all in pursuit of the shared goal of fostering safer communities on both sides of the border.
“At STC, we’re always ready to support programs that push the boundaries of training and enhance public safety,” said Robert Vela Jr., STC RCPSE site administrator. “STC’s mission is to provide ongoing learning and growth opportunities for our community, which we’ve achieved through our public safety training and our long-standing partnership with the city of McAllen. We’re honored to be part of this initiative that not only benefits our region, but our neighbors to the south.”
A total of 19 firefighters from the Mexican cities of Reynosa, Victoria and Tampico were welcomed to McAllen’s fire training facility for the 12-hour International Firefighter Training program.
The program covers essential skills such as forcible entry, handling hoses, ventilating smoke-filled areas, using Self-Contained Breathing Apparatuses (SCBA), climbing and working on tall structures and rescuing people from vehicles after accidents.
Javier Lam, general coordinator of Civil Protection and Firefighters of Reynosa, who traveled with five firefighters from the city, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to gain this valuable knowledge and share it with Reynosa’s firefighting team, which consists of 60 personnel.
“We are excited to learn and collaborate with our colleagues here. There are many important topics that will help us better serve our community,” he said. “We truly appreciate the invitation from McAllen and STC to share their knowledge and for having us in this incredible partnership.”
Expecting to replicate this training exercise annually, Chief Gloria added that McAllen firefighters will also explore the opportunity to travel to Mexico to conduct training sessions, further strengthening the cross-border partnership and fostering a united community for the well-being of the region.
“We are one region, one community, divided only by a river. For McAllen, the well-being of the entire region is essential,” Gloria added. “We are incredibly thankful to STC for their support. We wanted to show our firefighting brothers the growth opportunities available to them here, including those through STC and its educational offerings. We’re excited to continue this training annually for many years to come.”
For more information on STC’s Public Safety Training or Fire Science program, visit southtexascollege.edu/rcpse/ or call 956-872-4200.
