Good friends and neighbors of ours are very actively involved with our local Cruz Roja. Because she knows I love to take pictures, I was asked if I could take some pictures for the new remake of the Cruz Roja website, so I did. I learned a lot and thought I'd take the opportunity to share it with you. It is a local resource you want to become familiar with if you are living or visiting the Lakeside area. A very valuable resource.
Cruz Roja is located in Chapala at the east end of the Chapala malecon. Turn left at the end of the malecon and you can't miss it.
Cruz Roja operates a small fleet of 3 - 4 ambulances, a fully equiped rescue truck, and a small clinic from the Chapala location. They have nurses, EMT's and a Doctor on staff 24 / 7 to handle the local medical emergencies.
Kim & I's got our first exposure to Cruz Roja was back in 2011, when we first got here. Kim broke her foot in Chicago and the local doctor who was treating her sent us to Cruz Roja for x-rays. At the time, they were the pretty much the only game in town for x-rays other than the vet at Ladrones and Kim didn't want to go there for some reason.
They have a digital, laser x-ray machine and technician which is pretty good for such a small area.
I knew about the x-ray machine from our experience back in 2011, but I was surprised to see that they have a lot of newer equipment at the clinic and in the ambulances.
I don't know all the equipment but to me, they have a substantial amount of good monitoring equipment to handle emergencies.
Knowing there are differences in the certification processes between Mexico & NOB, I asked if all of the nurses were trained nurses and I was told yes, but at varying levels. With respect to the EMT's, they are certified and most are given additional training at the University up in Guadalajara.
The doctors that are on staff are all fully credentialed doctors and there's one on staff 24 hrs each day. Cruz Roja handles a large number of the medical emergencies that we have here Lakeside. There are other clinics that are adding services, but Cruz Roja to my knowledge is about the only game in town for ambulance service and getting severe emergencies stabilized and transported to the hospitals in Guadalajara. Don't jump my case if I'm wrong, the area has new medical facilities opening up and I don't keep up.
Cruz Roja is supported by the generosity of the local individual and business community. The expat community has been very active in conducting fund raisers, raffles and events to help fund Cruz Roja. The local Mexican community is also supportive but with fewer resources they do what they can and it is ALL appreciated.
I wanted to share this with those of you who are thinking of coming down and may be curious as to the medical facilities available.
For those of you who are living here and don't have any familiarity with Cruz Roja, other than the fund raisers, you are fortunate and I hope that this post is as close as you get to experience them.
A very valuable resource to the Lakeside community and my personal thanks to all the employees, doctors, volunteers and fund raisers who devote their time and money to keep this operation going and growing. Muchas Gracias amigos.
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