A pair of Carpentersville firefighters are in to Zacatecas, Mexico, to conduct a series of specialized training sessions for local firefighters and emergency personnel, fire officials said.
“Our department is proud to share our knowledge and expertise with our colleagues in Mexico,” Carpentersville Fire Chief William Anaszewicz said.
Firefighters Oliver Leon and Hector Gonzalez, both seasoned firefighters, paramedics and members of the department’s specialty rescue team, will be in the north-central state through Monday, Jan. 13.
“(The fire departments there) don’t have the means to provide the training the way we do in the United States,” Anaszewicz said. “They learn as they go. It’s trial and error.”
Mexican firefighters will learn the basics of fire service, covering such topics as how to effectively use a water hose, how to do ladder drills and ways to do other basic fire operations, he said.
Leon and Gonzalez also will train Mexican firefighters on rescue operations and first responder care.
Several local departments have donated used equipment that will be used by the Zacatecas Fire Department, officials said.
“They don’t have the equipment (so) a lot of the equipment is being donated,” Anaszewicz said. “We are blessed to have the latest and greatest equipment, and they are getting equipment that’s lived its life here. We’re donating it to them.”
Instructors also will train firefighters on how to use the equipment, Anaszewicz said.
For CFD personnel, “it’s a morale builder to go help others and a way to share their knowledge,” Anaszewicz said. “It’s just more of an experience.”
Those who are doing the training have volunteered for the job, he said.
Carpentersville Village President John Skillman and local business owner Jose Rivera spearheaded the effort. Rivera has been helping send police officers to Zacatecas as well.
“This initiative is part of our ongoing commitment to supporting and strengthening global fire safety practices. By working together, we can improve the effectiveness of emergency response worldwide,” Anaszewicz said.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
