Developing a Safer Sayulita

In 2010 the community of Sayulita had no local emergency services. Fire protection and ambulance services responded from a single fire station in Bucerias and took a very long time to arrive. Nor where there lifeguards protecting the busy beaches of Sayulita. That year, FFCB working with the Zachary Chambers Foundation created a volunteer lifeguard program and in 2011 Civil Protection y Bomberos and Pro Sayulita organizations joined the team and efforts began to open a fire station in Sayulita.

Pro Sayulita provided funds which FFCB used to purchase and import a good used US fire engine. FFCB donated a lot of firefighting equipment and provided training to the local firefighters. A good used ambulance was also donated by FFCB for the Sayulita station. The municipality identified a site behind the newly constructed Pemex station near Sayulita, however, they failed to find the required funding for construct so Pro Sayulita assisted by renting temporary space in an existing structure and the fire station opened in 2012.

Firefighters Crossing Borders continues to provide ongoing training opportunities for the areas firefighters and the Zackary Chambers Foundations sponsors an annual lifeguard school in Sayulita. Efforts are underway to develop a Civil Protection auxillary lifeguard program with local volunteers to increase the number of lifeguards.

The success of this community development project illustrates how a unified community can share in the responsibilities and development of a stronger community. The people of Sayulita now have 24/7 fire protection, ambulance services and the beaches are protected by lifeguards.