Opening Ceremony of GMR56 kicks off in El Rosal, Colombia.
12 October 2018
In the Western Savanna Province, part of the department of Cundinamarca, 12 miles (20 Km) outside of Bogota, sits El Rosal. Approximately 8,800 ft (2,685M) above sea level and a population of nearly 20,000 people, the Bombers El Rosal prepare to protect the city for emergencies. Global Mission Readiness has traveled to El Rosal in 2017 and this year in 2018. GMR is not only training the local, El Rosal firefighters, but also training the region. Firefighters and first responders come from all over the area to take part in training. This mission, 30 firefighters from 5 different agencies, some from up to 8 hours away, have come to learn fire control, advancing hose-lines, ground ladders, search and rescue, and firefighter safety and survival.
These firefighters have a passion to help their community, their country and each other. This is proven during the opening ceremony where all 30 are lined up, at attention, singing their national anthem, ready to take on the week. Their passion to want to learn and help their community cannot be taught by GMR. GMR has the ability to get some of the greatest trainers and provide equipment, but cannot teach passion.
The GMR teams that go to areas like El Rosal, are purely voluntary. The members take time off of work, from their families, and their lives, to selflessly provide skills and knowledge to develop these areas. At a cost to them as well. GMR assists by fundraising for transportation costs, but ultimately it is the team’s responsibility to fund their trip. GMR has no paid personnel. All the members that help GMR do it to make the world a better place, to selflessly give knowing that the seeds that are sewn will outlive all of us. GMR could not accomplish this without them.
Agencies like El Rosal, have taken it upon themselves to seek assistance in preparedness, basic training, and equipment acquisition to help their community for everyday emergencies as well as large-scale disasters. GMR is proud to help El Rosal and all of the agencies worldwide. Click the link to watch a short opening ceremony video of GMR56. The firefighters of Colombia singing their national anthem. El Rosal Opening Video