El jefe de bomberos de Eagle Pass, Manuel Mello, informó que hasta el 5 de diciembre de este año, su departamento ha tenido 778 transportes de pacientes indocumentados a la sala de emergencias local y 43 recuperaciones de cadáveres.
Se trata de 778 atenciones de llamadas de emergencia y transportes para atender y ayudar en la crisis migratoria.
La mayoría de esos costos son absorbidos por la ciudad de Eagle Pass, a la que no se le reembolsan los servicios prestados.
A un promedio de alrededor de $650 por transporte médico, esto equivale a alrededor de $505,700 en costos absorbidos. Este total podría ser mayor dependiendo del tipo de servicios médicos prestados por City EMS en el momento del transporte.
La actual crisis migratoria ha estado a nuestras puertas durante más de dos años y ciertamente está afectando a la comunidad de manera negativa.
Esto, durante algún tiempo, ha incluido que la ciudad y el condado a menudo tengan que absorber los costos de los servicios que se brindan o, como se vio recientemente, pérdidas debido al cierre del Puente 1.
Las autoridades a nivel local, estatal y federal siguen abrumadas, no sólo por la gran cantidad de cruces ilegales sino por otras circunstancias imprevistas que la administración Biden aún no ha abordado.
Recientemente, el alcalde de Eagle Pass, Rolando Salinas, abordó estos temas y afirmó que este tipo de problemas son simplemente insostenibles y pidió a la administración Biden que deje de ignorar el tema migratorio a lo largo de la frontera sur, incluso en nuestra comunidad.
EPFD has Provided 778 Medical Transports to Undocumented Migrants, with Costs Absorbed by the City
By Jose G Landa
Throughout the year 2023, the Eagle Pass Fire Department has averaged 2.3 undocumented migrant Emergency Medical Services Transports to the local emergency room on a daily basis.
Eagle Pass Fire Chief Manuel Mello informed that up until December 5th of this year, his department has had 778 undocumented patient transports to the local ER, and 43 body recoveries.
Those are 778 emergency call responses and transports to attend and assist with the migrant crisis.
The majority of those costs are absorbed by the City of Eagle Pass, which is not reimbursed for the services being provided.
At an average of about $650 per medical transport that totals to around $505,700 in costs absorbed. This total could be higher depending on the type of medical services rendered by City EMS at the time of transport.
The ongoing migrant crisis has been at our doorstep for more than two years and is certainly affecting the community in a negative way.
This, for some time, has included the city, county often having to absorb costs from services being provided, or as seen recently losses due to Bridge 1 closures.
Authorities at the local, state, and federal level continue overwhelmed, not just by the sheer number of illegal crossings but by other unforseen circumstances that the Biden administration has yet to even address.
Recently, Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas addressed these issues and stated that these types of problems are just unsustainable and called for the Biden administration to stop ignoring the migration issue along the southern border including in our community.