The International Firefighters Training Association thanks the city of Ezequiel Montes Ing. Ivan Resendiz Ramirez, Mayor, Armondo Tinajero Barrera, Chief Commander of the Ezequiel Montes Volunteer Fire Department for hosting the September training symposium.  Over 100 firefighters from 27 different municipalities attended the 4-day long training.  The week started off with opening ceremonies and concluded with Ing. Mayor Ivan Resendiz Ramirez attending an awards ceremony. At the ceremony each participant was awarded a IFTA tee-shirt and certificate of competition. In addition, over 5,500 kilograms of fire, rescue and medical equipment was donated to the 27 participating municipalities. 

The International Firefighters Training Association (IFTA) held a training symposium in Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico on May 6, 7, 8, 2024

Fire Departments in Attendance included:

• Xalisco
• Compostela
• Acaponeta
• Puerto Vallarta
• Nuevo Vallarta (Bahia de Banderas)
• Ahuacatlan
• Guadalajara
• El Grullo
• Ejutla, Jalisco
• Union de Tula, Jalisco
• San Martin, Jalisco
• Huajicori
• Zacoalco de Tula, Jalisco
• Tuxpan, Jalisco
• Jala
• Civil Protection Tepic
• Ixlan del Rio

The International Firefighters Training Association (IFTA) is hosting a May 6, 7, 8, training symposium in Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico Topics will include:

• A special 16-hour Fire Investigation class by Joaquín Jiménez González, Vice President of the International Associational Arson Investigators (IAAI) Northwest Mexico chapter 70. 
• Structural Fire Attack & Strategies
• Fire Behavior
• Fire Apparatus Engineer / Hydraulics
• Forceable Entry
• Personal Protective Equipment

On the first day of symposium opening ceremonies Gil Garcia will present a workshop in the city of Tepic, Nayarit. The theme of the workshop is “Think Globally, Prosper Locally” based on successful best practices of bringing resources to communities, by forming citizen committees that can integrate into international networks.

Presentations will include:

• History, mission, benefits offered by Sister Cities International (SCI).
• History, the mission of Rotary International (RI) that coincides with the
mission of SCI in areas of social and economic impact projects.
• The history, mission of the US migrant club international network and how it
fits well with SCI and the Rotary mission.
• The history, the mission of the International Firefighters Training Association
(IFTA) that invites firefighters in municipalities to training events in
cooperation with Sister Cities, Rotarians and Migrant Clubs.
• Examples of best practices that demonstrate how municipalities in Mexico
could prosper locally through the integration into international networks
membership, which promotes productive alliances
• Information on attending the 2024 SCI International all America’s
Summit Conference that will take place with opening Tuesday May 28 and
Closing Friday, May 31, 2024
• ⁠Other networks will be mentioned like Direct Relief International and Rotary
Heart to Heart projects in Mexico in cooperation with US Rotary Clubs

We hope that the outcome of the workshop will be to follow up with more detailed information to interested municipalities on how to create a local committee of sister cities that could participate in the SCI citizen diplomacy network, establish links between people and prosper locally through international networks.

IFTA once again teamed up with the Huntington Park Sister Cities to bring a training symposium to Yahualica, Jalisco. Topics included:
Vehicle Extrication
Patient Removal and Stabilization
Advanced Life Support
Traumatic Injuries

During the weekend of March 20, 2023, IFTA sponsored another fire training symposium in Coquimatlan, Colima, Mexico. The fire training topics included: hydraulics and pumping operations, forcible entry, extending, deploying and operating fire attack hose lines in elevated locations.
At the conclusion of the symposium all participating fire departments received firefighting/rescue/safety equipment donated by the International Firefighters Training Association.
Special thanks to:
IFTA Training Coordinator, Aldofo Ramas Garcia
Instructors-Fausto Facio Morjarro and Edgar Omar Espinoza
Support in Logistics- Brandon Eymard Sanchez Mejia, Luz Arcelia Rios Bautista, Alma Berenice Decena, and Norma Edith Lopez

Fire departments that participated in this symposium included:
Municipal Civil Protection Unit Tecoman, Colima, Mexcio
Volunteer Firefighters Tarimoro, Guanajuato, Mexico
Municipal Civil Protection Unit Armory, Colima, Mexico
Crasma Volunteer Firefighters Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico
Municipal Civil Protection Unit, Tamazula de Gordiano, Jalisco, Mexico
Municipal Civil Protection Unit, Ixtlahuacan, Colima, Mexico
Municipal Civil Protection Unit, Coquimatlan, Colima, Mexico
Volunteer Firefighter of Ezequiel Montes, Queretaro, Mexico
Municipal Civil Protection Unit, Tonaya, Jalisco, Mexico