Continuing its tradition to share with others who work to save lives, Sandy donated surplus emergency gear to Zacatecas, Mexico, a city of 160,000 in need of emergency equipment.
Sandy Mayor Monica Zoltanski, Fire Chief Jeff Bassett and other first responders presented the equipment Wednesday to Salvador Lazalde, president of the Federation of Mexicans United in Utah, as well as first responders from Zacatecas. Among the equipment is a tool commonly known as the Jaws of Life.
Lazalde said many cities in central Mexico do not have budgets to purchase life-saving gear. The federation has facilitated donations of ambulances, school buses, medical equipment and more from Utah cities. Lazalde said two cities in Mexico are now using the old firefighter “turnout” uniforms that still bear the Sandy logo.
After receiving funding from the Sandy City Council for new, battery-operated extrication equipment, the city freed up the older resources. Sandy gave another Jaws of Life package to a volunteer fire station in Box Elder County earlier this month.
