HOUSTON – Over $200,000 worth of firefighter equipment will be donated to the city of Tampico, Mexico by the City of Houston and Houston Fire Department on Friday.
HFD Chief Sam Pena, Mayor Sylvester Turner, and dignitaries of the City of Tampico were on-site at the Val Jahnke Training Facility to announce the donation of fire gear to the City of Tampico.
“Today, we are gathered here to celebrate a major achievement in citizen diplomacy and collaboration,” said Marco Bracamontes, founder of the Houston Tampico Sister City Association. “Thanks to the generosity of Houston’s city council.”
HFD Chief Sam Pena said the equipment can help boost firefighter protection when out in the field.
Donations were collected over the course of 10 months by Houston Fire. The items were later shipped to the City of Tampico Fire Department.
“This is a great example of what sister cities do,” Mayor Turner said.
Tampico is one of Houston’s sister cities through the Sister Cities of Houston, whose relationship was established in 2003. Other sister cities include Istanbul, Leipzig, Perth, and Taipei.