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About Baja California

Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North Territory of Baja California. It has an area of 70,113 km2 (27,071 sq mi), or 3.57% of the land mass of Mexico and comprises the northern half of the Baja California peninsula, north of the 28th parallel. The state is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean, on the east by Sonora, the U.S. State of Arizona, and the Gulf of California (also known as the Sea of Cortez), and on the south by Baja California Sur. Its northern limit is the U.S. state of California.

The state has a population of 2,844,469 (2005 census), and estimated 3,165,776 (June 2009) much more than the sparsely populated Baja California Sur to the south, and similar to San Diego County, California on its north. Over 75% of the population lives in the capital city, Mexicali, in Ensenada, or in Tijuana. Other important cities include San Felipe, Rosarito and Tecate.

Baja California is where it all began, our visit to Tecate in 1999 started us on our path. We began working with the city of Tecate and the Bomberos from around the state. We have been working to bring agencies representing millions of citizens in the State together for more collaborative training and operations. Where borders were distinct and rarely crossed there is now more mutual assistance and development of resources. 

In 2009, we began working with the group Bomberos De San Diego, a group of San Diego Fire firefighters that work in the area doing similar work. We partnered to bring training to Tecate initially and eventually worked in Tijuana Bomberos and were able to organize regional training at both Tecate and Tijuana inviting bomberos from around the area. Today, being one of the largest Cities in Mexico,  we regularly rely on these Bomberos to assist us in our training.

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Tecate 2009 Mission Day 3 & 4

on . Posted in Baja California

Sorry fior the delay in blogging but we finally made it to Mexico which presents a few challenges for blogging and internet access.  We had to change rooms to get it right.  So Day 2 ended in Bakersfield with dinner at Rusty’s Pizza.  You guys put out an awesome pizza and have your own dispatch center for home deliveries;  WOW….
 
We started out Day 3 by shopping Target for medical supplies as Scott was feeling ill, and Greg purchased Windex to clean the windows in the truck (and you thought Scott had clean issues!!).  We finally pulled out of Bakersfield, and Greg was definaltely NOT allowed to drive down the Grapevine.
 
Our only stop on Day 2 was planned for Santee, California to pick up 16 AED’s from the Santee Fire Dept.  Thank you Santee and FF/PM Fred Daunis for assisting us.  OK, now it is off to the border.  Those who have been around the FFCB family for a while will not believe that we crossed the border into Mexico, without stopping, without presenting identification, and without opening the trailer.  MIRACLE!!!!  So off to the Fire Station in Tecate where we were met with open arms, dropped off the trailer and were treated to dinner at a Taco Stand.  We were then escorted to our Hotel, the Estancia Inn Tecate, a 3 year old beautiful resort.
 
Day 4 starts with breakfast and CPR/AED training led by Scott and translated by Tocho, AKA Capitan Trovar, introducing the new AHA curriculum and newer AED’s.  The afternoon session of ICS was presented by Greg with Marcos Olmos as the translater.  Both classes were attended by 40-50 students from Bomberos Tecate (Tecate Fire), Cruz Roja (Red Cross) and two Volunteer Rescate Grupo’s (Rescue Groups).  We ended the day with dinner and a surprise visit to the Hotel from Retired Tecate Bomberos Franco Solis (our FFCB Representative in Tecate).  It is time for bed as we have a full day tomorrow of extrication.

Tags: Tecate Missions

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