As covered in the August 2004 issue of FireRescue Doug Mendel a former volunteer firefighter for Lake Dillon Fire Rescue (LDFR) in Summit County Colo. has vowed to help Cambodia’s woefully under-funded and under-equipped fire stations. He travels to the country twice a year bringing radios bunker gear and other firefighting essentials donated by U.S. fire departments. Since Mendel began making his trips six out of approximately 20 Cambodian fire stations have drastically improved their gear and one rural department is expecting a special delivery in the spring of 2006-an actual fire apparatus-all thanks to the efforts of one former Colorado firefighter and generous donations from U.S. fire departments.
600 POUNDS OF GEAR
During his most recent trip in October-November Mendel delivered 600 lbs. of equipment to six Cambodian fire departments. “Most of it was donations from two Colorado stations- LDFR and Heeney County ” says Mendel. “I have a strong presence in Summit County now because there’s been lots of local press plus stories on CBS and NBC so the donations keep coming.”
This time the donations included 25 sets of bunker gear brush pants and boots as well as money for fire extinguishers. “I bought 106 fire extinguishers once I got over there ” explains Mendel. “There are 24 provinces in Cambodia and there’s no more than one fire station per province. [One] Cambodian captain told me that lots of districts have no chance of having a fire truck respond [during an emergency] so I brought extinguishers to the departments and they distributed them around their province.”
The Cambodian departments are very excited about every new delivery and they’re proud to show they know how to use it. “The firefighters put on their [donated] bunker gear while I was there ” says Mendel. “They were very proud and wanted to show me that they know how to use the equipment I brought including the fire extinguishers.”
SPECIAL DELIVERY
Next spring Mendel will make good on a promise he made to the first fire station he helped located in the coastal village of Sihanoukville when he plans to deliver a used fire truck to the station. Red White and Blue Fire Rescue (RWB) based in Breckenridge Colo. has donated a 1 500- gpm Firemaster pumper circa 1976 to the Cambodian department. “The truck has been a reserve rig for quite a while used strictly for wildfires ” says RWB Lieutenant Keith McMillan. “We don’t have the room or need for it so we donated it to Doug.”
Mendel is raising money to ship the truck to South Carolina then overseas to Cambodia; the cost of the shipment totals $15 000. He will then return to Cambodia with McMillan and RWB Lieutenant Jason Klein to train the Sihanoukville firefighters. “That’s the plan right now ” says McMillan. “When it ships I’ll go along to help train them. I’m counting on them already knowing how to drive and operate pumps-we’ll just help them get used to this truck especially because the labels are all in English.”
MAN ON A MISSION
Even when the much-needed fire truck is delivered- possibly laden with 40 sets of donated bunker gear-Mendel will continue his mission. “Each [station] gives me a wish list for the next visit ” Mendel explains. “I got feedback that the radios I brought are very beneficial to them and are a tremendous help with their communication needs. These little things that we take for granted mean the world to them.”
To learn more about Mendel’s mission or to contact him about donating firefighting equipment or money visità¿www.cambodiaphotogallery.com or send an e-mail toà¿wndrlst49@hotmail.com.
