SF Fire Dept. EMT leads volunteers to help thousands of patients in El Salvador

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Carlos Martinez and his 12-year-old son are checking in at San Francisco Worldwide Airport for his or her Saturday flight certain for El Salvador.

“We’re going to a spot known as Tacachico and one other place known as San Julian. They’re very rural areas, individuals with little to no entry to drugs or any medical assist. Some individuals have by no means seen a physician of their life there,” says Martinez.

Martinez is an emergency medical technician with the San Francisco Hearth Division. He is main 70 volunteers with the Castaneda Children Basis. They are going to be offering free medical therapy in rural elements of El Salvador. 5 different volunteers are additionally from the San Francisco Hearth Division.

“We offer normal medication. We do not do any type of surgical procedures. We do have a dentist. Now we have girls’s well being. Now we have an ENT — ear, nostril, throat physician. After which any minor wounds that come by way of,” Martinez mentioned.

MORE: San Francisco girl makes lasagnas for these in want as a part of nationwide motion

Over the approaching week, they’ll serve 3,000 sufferers. Martinez says diabetes, hypertension and hygiene are three of the largest issues they will sort out — including that poor sanitation is large purpose for the poor hygiene.

“It is vitally humid and there so much mosquitos and different vector-borne diseases that unfold round, and water is unquestionably a difficulty. Due to that, we see lots of people with intestinal parasites,” he mentioned.

Martinez says the purpose is to deal with individuals, but additionally to coach, so individuals can take higher care of their very own well being.

That is their first medical journey in three years because of the pandemic. So that they know the necessity for care might be nice as soon as they hit the bottom.

MORE: Capitola ‘Sip & Stroll’ occasion appears to be like to boost funds for group devastated by Bay Space storms

“Now we have what individuals name ‘first-world issues’ right here, the place the iPhone charger would not go far sufficient or the password just isn’t working. Over there, it is ‘Hey, I haven’t got meals for the week.’ Or, ‘I haven’t got any water.’ Or ‘The roof fell off, and we’ve got no technique to repair it,’” he mentioned.

It has been a whole lot of hours of planning and coordinating to make this system work. They may also give out scholarships so college students can go to highschool and hand out meals for these in want.

Martinez says it may be simply as impactful expertise for the volunteers.

“When you’ve by no means left the nation. When you have by no means seen poverty, it’s completely life-changing,” Martinez mentioned.

When you’re on the ABC7 Information app, click on right here to observe dwell