### Tijuana’s Red Cross Faces Ambulance Shortage Amid Increasing Demands
The Tijuana branch of the Mexican Red Cross (CRM) is currently experiencing a shortage of emergency response units, a situation that hinders their ability to meet the community’s urgent needs. Jorge Astiazarán Orcí, the president of the CRM’s board of directors, revealed that the branch currently operates with 15 ambulances per shift, but needs an additional eight to fully respond to incoming emergency calls.
The need for more ambulances is underscored by the fact that approximately 12% of emergency calls are due to vehicle crashes. Astiazarán emphasized the urgency, stating, “It’s exceedingly uncommon for us not to have ambulances available, yet it’s crucial to keep extra units for major emergencies.”
A further challenge is the chronic shortage of hospital beds in clinics of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), which complicates the Red Cross team’s efforts to provide continuous service. To combat these delays, the CRM has invested in 10 trolley stretchers, essential when returning stretchers can take up to eight hours. However, this leads to some ambulances temporarily transporting patients using alternative equipment like marine stretchers.
Despite these challenges, CRM’s Tijuana volunteers handle 98% of emergency calls to 911. Astiazarán highlights that the current response time ranges between 15 and 16 minutes but stresses the need to reduce this to 10-13 minutes. To make this possible, he urges continued community support through donations and contributions, made via public services like plates and licenses, to maintain the free ambulance service.
### Secondary Article: Vehicle Accidents and Resource Strains Add to CRM’s Challenges
In addition to the issues currently facing the Red Cross in Tijuana, a significant number of emergencies—about 12%—stem from vehicle accidents. This contributes to the already stretched resources of the organization. The high frequency of vehicle crashes is linked to rush-hour stress, which CRM officers have identified as a critical factor.
Moreover, the financial burden of maintaining operation-ready ambulances adds to the challenges. Tijuana’s branch reportedly spends about 7 million pesos annually on fuel expenses alone, indicating the massive operational costs involved in emergency response.
The situation aligns with broader trends of increased urbanization and traffic congestion in Tijuana, demanding a more robust infrastructure to handle the resultant increase in emergency situations. Residents are urged to continue supporting the CRM through donations, as these contributions are vital in helping Tijuana’s Red Cross expand their fleet and improve response times in the face of growing demands.