COACHELLA, Feb. 29, 2016 — The City of Coachella donated one of its fire engines to Mexicali, Mexico Friday in a ceremony that highlighted the strengthening sister cities relationship between the two cities.
The ceremony, which was attended by about 100 people including 20 Mexicali firefighters, took place on front of Mexicali’s city hall.
“Coachella has a long tradition of donating firefighting equipment to Mexicali and other communities in Mexico,” said Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez. “But we are making a concerted effort to strengthen our relationship in economic and cultural spheres as well.”
Indeed, while the ceremony recognized the formal donation and transfer of a 1989, E-One fire engine to Mexicali, officials from Coachella and Mexicali also discussed the growing economic and cultural ties that are taking place following the establishment of a sister cities relationship between the two cities last year.
In fact, Mayor Pro Tem Emmanuel Martinez led a delegation of Coachella representatives who met with representatives of Mexicali’s Casa de Cultura as well as Mexicali’s Tourism and Convention Committee to discuss arrangements for folkloric dance shows and other cultural events discuss that will likely take place in Coachella later this year.
“We plan to develop an action plan that will highlight specific steps we can take to further strengthen our economic, cultural and educational ties for the benefit of residents of both cities,” Martinez said.
The fire engine donation, he added, symbolizes Coachella’s ongoing interest the health and welfare of the people of Mexicali and Mexico general.
Coachella’s donation of a 1989 E-One fire engine was its third fire engine donation to a Mexican city in recent years. Previous donations included a 1985 Ford Grumman Type-1 fire engine with 750-gallon water tank, which was donated to Empalme, Sonora in 2010 and a 1983 500-gallon Mini-Pumper fire engine, which also was donated to Empalme, Sonora in 1995. In the early 1980s, Coachella also donated a 1953 GMC fire engine to Ejido Hermosillo, Mexicali.
Coachella’s delegation also met with Mexicali Mayor Jaime Rafael Diaz Ochoa and Gabriela Rivera, associate dean of international programs for CETYS, a technical high school and university that offers training in technical subjects, including aerospace, robotics and renewable energy.
Coachella’s delegation also included Economic Development Manager Mark Weber and Ramon Leija, a volunteer reserve firefighter.
For more information on Coachella’s sister cities relationship with Mexicali, please visit www.Coachella.org.
