ARLINGTON -- On any given day at the Ballpark or at home, Rangers fans can relax and watch their favorite team knowing that well-trained and well-equipped firefighters are ready to respond in case of an emergency.
That does not hold true in Nelson Cruz's hometown of San Francisco de Macoris in the Dominican Republic. The city of more than 245,000 residents is a provincial capital, but firefighters lack a rugged pumper truck, and ambulances are few and far between.Now the Rangers slugger, with help from the Arlington Fire Department, American Medical Response and others, is doing his part to change that.The right fielder with the cannon arm has purchased an all-terrain apparatus that he will donate to the fire service. Before Wednesday's game against the Oakland A's, Arlington Fire Chief Don Crowson will present the keys to his Dominican Republic counterpart, Chief Luis Esmurdoc."In my hometown we don't have ambulances or firetrucks, so I decided to buy one," Cruz said. "It was yellow, so we had to paint it red."That's not all. After hearing about Cruz's initiative, American Medical Response, which provides ambulance service in Arlington, is donating two ambulances. The Fire Department, which found a suitable truck in Minnesota, and the dealer that sold it are chipping in hand tools, hoses and nozzles. Esmurdoc's department provides service to three neighboring provinces and three outlying communities, according to a news report from January in which the chief lamented a lack of equipment and low firefighter pay."They cover a lot of territory with just a few trucks. Having an additional truck will help them out tremendously," Arlington Assistant Fire Chief David Carroll said.Next month, the Fire Department plans to donate a retired fire engine to the Arlington school district for the High School Fire Academy. Students in the academy studying to become firefighters and emergency medical technicians will use the engine for training, Carroll said.Cruz said he hopes to have the equipment delivered by November. The ambulances are already in Florida, and the firetruck will be shipped there."It was definitely something to help the community there," he said. "I've heard that people who have an accident or have something happen have to go to another town. The hospital in my hometown isn't very big, so they have to go an hour away to get to the hospital. Some people die sometimes because they don't have transportation."Staff writers Jeff Wilson and Susan Schrock contributed to this report.Patrick M. Walker,817-983-8080Twitter: @patrickmwalker1Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
