When an entire country of 22 million people has a budget for its firefighters equivalent to that of a city of 50,000, they could probably use some help.
That was the reasoning behind the friendship trip taken by state Rep. Mike Cooper, D-Edmonds and a Shoreline fire lieutenant, and others recently to Peru.
In culmination of a two-year effort, three surplus fire engines and other equipment such as protective clothing and medical supplies were delivered to Peruvian fire stations as part of the trip that took place June 28 through July 7.
As a result, Cooper and others received the “God-Country-Humanity Award” from the organization representing Peruvian firefighters. The award, presented during a June 30 ceremony in San Isidro, recognized the Washington state delegation’s support of the South American nation’s all-volunteer firefighters.
“Every place we went were treated like national heroes,” Cooper said. “The people were so terrific.”
Cooper and fellow state legislator Rep. Jerome Delvin, R-Tri-Cities – himself a police officer and visitor to Peru two years ago – organized the excursion. Shoreline firefighter Andres Orams, whose Peruvian grandfather worked as a firefighter in the town of Trujillo, also went on the trip. Orams drove one of the fire engines for eight hours to Trujillo from the dock where it was unloaded from a ship, Cooper said. Orams was still in Peru at the deadline for this edition of The Enterprise.
The trip doubled as a trade mission, with Lt. Gov. Brad Owen and several businesspeople making the trip. In all, 18 people went, mostly at their own expense except for some contributions from firefighters’ unions to help send some firefighters, Cooper said.
Fire departments all over Washington state pitched in to the equipment effort, Cooper said.
All the firefighters in Peru are volunteer, Cooper said – “it’s so volunteer that guys have to actually buy their own safety equipment.”
Also, the Medic 7 Foundation in south Snohomish County raised money to have the manufacturer of several cardiac defibrillators refurbish them to take to Peru. In Lima, the capital city of 7 million people, there had not been a single defibrillator prior to these being brought, Cooper said. Twenty-five of the volunteer firefighters were trained in their use.
Three surplus fire engines were donated, one from Kent and two from Tacoma. One of the fire engines, made in 1988, is newer than any of the engines in operation in the country, Cooper said.
The nation’s approximately $9 million annual firefighting budget roughly equals that of the city of Shoreline, said Cooper, a Shoreline firefighter for 23 years.
The democratically elected president of the country, President Toledo, held a press conference in the Washington state delegation’s honor, Cooper said. One of the new fire stations was named the Washington State Fire Station, with a plaque installed with the name on it. A reception was held at the U.S. Embassy.
“We were treated very well, the people were very grateful,” Cooper said.
Cooper’s other role on the trip was as a trade ambassador. Issues included Peruvian asparagus cutting into the Washington state growers’ market; possible airplane sales from Goodrich Aviation, a local company; sale of more Washington wines in Peru and Peruvian liquors in Washington; possible training by WSU agricultural experts for Peruvians in winemaking; computer industry sales and promotion of tourism opportunities in Peru, Cooper said. Also discussed was the possibility of bringing privately held Inca gold treasures to Seattle for temporary display.
“The conversations went really well,” Cooper said. “I think overall it was a very successful trip.”
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