Port Ludlow Fire & Rescue - plfr.org
Interim Fire Chief
Brad Martin
Headquarters Station No. 31
7650 Oak Bay Road
Port Ludlow, WA 98365
Business Hours: 8am-4:30pm, Mon-Fri
360-437-2236 phone
866-367-2291 fax
Port Ludlow Fire & Rescue Adopts “Sister Fire Department”
Port Ludlow Fire & Rescue and Cabo San Lucas (Mexico) Fire Now “Sister Fire Departments”
PORT LUDLOW , October 13, 2009 —The Board of Fire Commissioners for Port Ludlow Fire and Rescue at their meeting on Tuesday night passed a resolution adopting The Cabo San Lucas Volunteer Fire Department as a “Sister Fire Department”, designating it as “Port Ludlow Fire & Rescue Station 39.”
In a letter to PLFR Assistant Fire Chief Randy Coggan, Cabo’s Fire Chief, Comandante Juan Carbajal wrote about the needs of his department saying “if you are able to donate some kind of fire equipment to our fire department, it would be really appreciated. We understand the economical situation all over the world is very bad to donate stuff, but there is always hope.”
The Cabo San Lucas Volunteer Fire Department has approximately 39 firefighters and 75 volunteers. They protect all of the City of Cabo San Lucas, which includes numerous resorts and commercial/retail establishments as well as a year round population of 300,000 plus residents, many of whom are American citizens. The department receives a majority of its funding and equipment from donations. Unlike departments that are in the States that must comply with federal standards regarding any protective gear or suppression equipment that is used, departments in Mexico do not have such a restriction and are therefore are able to accept gear and equipment that is no longer able to be used here.
The action taken by PLFR’s Board also authorizes staff to send surplus gear and equipment that is no longer of value to the department to Cabo Fire. PLFR Fire Chief Ed Wilkerson stated that “Tonight’s action creates a handshake across the border and truly makes PLFR part of the international fires service community. It is gratifying to know that items that we can no longer use will make other firefighters safer”.
In an email back to PLFR after being adopted as a “Sister Fire Department”, Comandante Carbajal wrote, “Believe me that I do not have the words to say how excited I am. Thanks to all the commissioners and [PLFR] for your great help and support...Please tell all the people from your fire station and city, we are your friends in Cabo México. We appreciate this friendship.”
PLFR will begin sending surplus equipment to Cabo Fire in the near future, teaming up with South King Fire & Rescue who also adopted Cabo Fire and routinely ships surplus items to them.
Port Ludlow Fire & Rescue is a full service emergency services provider covering 53 square miles of Jefferson County. Operating out of three fire stations, they provide fire, rescue and emergency medical services and transport at both basic and paramedic levels.
