Retired emergency vehicles Mexico-bound through Los Amigos

By Ry Clarke - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on September 28, 2022.

Herald file photo Rotarian Michael Henderson helps clean-up used service vehicles to transport to Mazatlan, Mexico for the 2019 Los Amigos Project expedition.

The PROBUS Club of Lethbridge held its general meeting last week at the Mennonite Church on 3 Ave S, making time to hear from guest speaker Jim Campbell who talked about his work with Los Amigos.

The project is an international service coordinated by the Rotary Club of Lethbridge, which takes retired service and emergency vehicles to areas around Mazatlan, Mexico for reuse, aiding towards the work of medical emergencies, firefighting, and transportation of students and people with disabilities. The project has been operating since 2011 with ongoing benefits to those in need.

Driving from southern Alberta across the boarders of the U.S. and Mexico, the 3,800 kilometre drive is roughly 36 hours.

“It’s interesting, you get a variety of different drivers,” said Campbell. “The number of volunteer hours cumulatively is 33,000 since 2011.”

“The firefighters in Mexico are all volunteers. They have often been known to go door to door in neighbourhoods to beg for money so that they can afford to put gas in their vehicles,” said Campbell. “What we can contribute in vehicles is a substantial benefit to them. Over the years we have had 109 drivers, to deliver 48 vehicles. That’s distributed over 19 ambulances, 10 firetrucks, 13 handi-buses, and six school buses.”

Over the years the program has also donated more than just vehicles to areas in Mazatlan, bringing other supplies with them as well.

“The second year we went down, we took 50 wheelchairs and walkers to deliver to Mexico. They went to people with disabilities,” said Campbell, noting they have also brought with them medical stretchers valued at $15,000 and even a computer with software on it to help a blind girl attend school. “We gave her the computer and she’s graduated from university now. It was a wonderful experience.”

Los Amigos works with the communities it donates to, helping with training in skills relating to the fields they are aiding, along with bringing good reliable equipment that will last.

“The requirements for ambulances and fire trucks change over the years. If you can’t meet those standards, you’re not allowed to use them anywhere in Western Canada. So they become throwaways,” said Campbell. “We have put them to good use in Mexico, and some of them have been in startlingly good condition. But so far, all 48 vehicles have made it to Mexico and they are still in service.”

Campbell notes the project is still running smoothly, and they’re currently working on collecting vehicles for next year, while adding the project helps out so many communities with a goal of giving back.

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