BajaNomad - Hi Can I Make A Sales Pitch Without Getting Yelled At Too Loud?

Hi Can I Make A Sales Pitch Without Getting Yelled At Too Loud?

DavidE - 1-2-2014 at 01:50 PM

I just now (10 minutes) arrived back in BA, with a bagful of antibiotics strong enough to lift my car off the ground...

I've got a long list of people to thank and I am going to do a lot of that via U2U so this doesn't get all mooshy on a public forum.

HOWEVER and I mean this as an EXCEPTION...

Antonio at Baja Cactus operating the gasolinera, and the hotel took on the DESERT HAWKS rescue mission, with a couple of very decent ambulances. Time, lots of time, a humbling contribution out of his own pocket, to get the ambulances, get personnel, train them, god you can imagine what all of this took out of his life.

DESERT HAWKS covers one of the most risky areas in the Baja peninsula. From well north of El Rosario to Cataviña. The "hog back" ridges, switchbacks, all of it. If a person had a medical emergency out there before Antonio took on this immense project, well, it was "The Old Baja", pray, get your hand held and get lifted into the back of someone's pickup truck.

The residents have had "many (Antonio can do this better than I)" lifesaving rescues and transports from the region to the Hospital at Colonia Guerrero.

La Cuesta del Diablo is covered from Sta Rosalia. The grade south of Loreto has Loreto Ambulance Service, From Lazaro Card##as northward there is service. Guerrero Negro hss service.

DESERT HAWKS is the "Big Gap". Just look at all the "Capillas" monuments on the side of Mex 1. It doesn't take a lot of imagination to muse how many of these lives may have been saved.

HELP SAVE YOUR OWN LIFE! PLEASE PERMIT ANTONIO TO KEEP THIS SERVICE NOT ONLY "RUNNING" but in a position to ADD LIFESAVING GEAR, and training. He needs a defibrillator, for a fact, top quality high speed tires, super good batteries not the barely working LTH or GOHNER stuff.

I added my pitiful amount of help a few months ago, and vowed then to get those ambulance electrical standards up to federal KKK-1822-AA standards, which means, stuff will start and work when you want it to. But I'm only me and with my pitiful pension that isn't much. But I do have the knowledge of emergency vehicle electrical design, installation and maintenance.

I never thought I would ever need the services (other folks would). Boy does life ever hold surprises. I had top notch EM treatment (being an old grumpy EMT 2 I know a good steak when I bite into one). This ride wasn't a taxi cab with red lights believe me.

I'm sorta out of bullets here. I wish Antonio could add to this, provide information about which stuff he would love to see arrive at the Baja Cactus gasolinera. A wish-list. Then cash donations to pay for fuel, vehicle maintenance, uniforms, training of personnel, and finally getting by whatever means those vital EMT instruments that can keep a person alive. Being naive I wonder if a PayPal account would work for those folks who cannot get directly to El Rosario. I've seen these programs enacted, the cost at first is jaw dropping, the once instruments get paid for, tires are new and spares are on hand, technicians get trained, and equipment Antonio needs get installed, then things get a bit less daunting to keep going,

Yeah I'm "big" on projects like this. Always have been. I know what they can do. I just don't want to ever have to read or to learn that a Nomad, or anyone else came out of a medical emergency in worse shape than they could have.

I'm still blown away that I ended up needing this service. I have had a list of things that I can do on the 2 ambulances for the last few months. Getting the project arranged is a challenge.

Antonio and Desert Hawks would like to hear from anyone that can help out. Everybody's got "something" (I don't just mean money) that can help out. Transportation of goods needed to the station, etc.

By the way, Isela, is a gorgeous young lady. You know that image of the nurses? Well Isela is a lot more conservative dresser, but she is the spitting image of a beautiful guardian angela. And like Antonio, she is one smart cookie!

Oh yeah, by the way, I penciled it out to the point of exhaustion with a calculator, then verified the arrival of "my bus" at the Tijuana bus station. Wanna know how much quicker the ambulance got to US CUSTOMS than that bus arrived at the Central Camionera in downtown Tijuana? Four Hours Forty Three Minutes! That's from "downtown "El Rosario"". Out in the sticks god only knows.

OK enough of a rant. People more adept at this than I am should take over now.

Thank You in advance for helping Desert Hawks.

DAVIDE

captkw - 1-2-2014 at 01:54 PM

Hola,,,Glad to hear FROM YOU !!! IS THER A WAY TO HELP/DONATE TO THESE FOLKS ????.....k&t

BajaNomad - 1-2-2014 at 02:04 PM

I expect to learn more about this from Antonio this weekend. We spoke with him briefly at the gas station on the way down. They have two ambulances that were donated from the USA. Apparently the organization that donated the first one were impressed by how he/they were running the operation, and came up with a second ambulance for them.

He said an official asked them what else they could use (beside $, etc), and he said he told them a helicopter. That's aiming high... but you gotta appreciate it.

He said they're covering the area from around Catavina to just north of El Rosario.

He also said they'd had 68 incidents they were involved with since they started this in 2013.

[Edited on 1-2-2014 by BajaNomad]

KaceyJ - 1-2-2014 at 02:04 PM

David,

You sales pitch all you want

Glad you're back and able to do it

shari - 1-2-2014 at 02:06 PM

Now I CAN wish you a Happy New Year David and glad to see you back on your feet. You know how I am an optimist and I was thinking that your health emergency has really brought attention to the wonderful service that Antonio started...so again...good things come out of bad...so lets all use this lesson to help get Desert Hawks the funds they need to really rock & roll in 2014!

I think a paypal account would be a great idea as it makes it so quick & easy for people to donate...will you mention it to Antonio?

mtgoat666 - 1-2-2014 at 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaNomad
I expect to learn more about this from Antonio this weekend. We spoke with him briefly at the gas station on the way down. They have two ambulances that were donated from the USA. Apparently the organization that donated the first one were impressed by how he/they were running the operation, and came up with a second ambulance for them.

He said an official asked them what else they could use (beside $, etc), and he said he told them a helicopter. That's aiming high... but you gotta appreciate it.

He said they're covering the area from around Catavina to just north of El Rosario.

He also said they'd had 68 incidents they were involved with since they started this in 2013.

[Edited on 1-2-2014 by BajaNomad]

For those that want to contribute, would be nice to have contact for el Rosario, or even better USA contact for organization that donated ambulances if they still collect directed donations for el Rosario ambulance

Btw, orgs like this in Baja should pitch their wishes to the San Diego foundation,...

BajaNomad - 1-2-2014 at 02:26 PM

Thanks... I'm reading the suggestions/notes/etc on this.

Cool !!

captkw - 1-2-2014 at 02:29 PM

I'm in !! money is cheap !! Life isn't !!!

DavidE - 1-2-2014 at 02:38 PM

Me again,

If there could be volunteers NOB who can make phone calls, make appointments, cut through some of the bureaucracy for Antonio, that may help a lot.

Me 22 centavos' worth thinks having some way to network to get parts down to Antonio would be fantastic. I am a perfect example of Snuffy Smith School of Economics who lives and dies by "seconds" demonstrator models, manufacturer's seconds, breaking open piggy banks, you name it. But I have priceless knowledge between my ears. I would love to get my chosen end underway with straightening out the electrical systems. Master cutoff switches, nice 1-watt solar maintenance chargers, 1,000 CCA group 65 batteries, and then a pair of ambulance grade Nippondenso 220 ampere alternators. Code 3 makes good lights but they cost a fortune. My 800 lumen LED inserts, will be free and give four times the "scene lighting" with the same reliability. I rob the Code 3 lamp housings heh heh.

But Antonio has to coordinate all this. His command of English is superb. So communications is no problem. I have to get my butt well and get up there and get those batteries (diesel) and cables into a reliable (meaning next to no maintenance) position. I have a functioning mail service at The UPS Store 0250 in Chula Vista. I know this stuff will work. There are a bunch of really sharp folks on this forum.

And....(Jaques Clouseau)...furthermore....

Can we get some folks to contact their Mexico Insurance Surplus Line Brokers? They too can cut modest donations and show the rest of the Mexico traveler's industry what a cohesive effort can accomplish. Yeah, wouldn't it be nice to maybe have a little lineup of decals showing just how much auto insurance companies are willing to go for their insured (OK, that's getting a little too hardball I'll back off).

Help Antonio! How can we help you? You are the brains of this effort.

Donation

bajaguy - 1-2-2014 at 02:46 PM

I will be dropping off several $20 bills when we pass through in March on our way to Guerrero Negro for a whale watching adventure

motoged - 1-2-2014 at 03:44 PM

Several years ago I helped collect donations for a wheelchair for Coco through a PayPal account with a friend managing the monies...we managed just over $5000 in a few weeks (Coco used the money in a way he thought was better than a wheelchair....a car and medical expenses)....so, I am suggesting PayPal is perhaps the best instrument for collecting donations as it also would keep a running account of $.

And knowing that someone with the skills and profile like Antoniowould help folks feel trusting their donations were going to the cause.

Promises will be made....but an account makes it real.

The fellow running Baja's Best had a used ambulance several years ago waiting for these upgrades....I wonder if that unit ever got going.

Baja Bucko - 1-2-2014 at 04:19 PM

Didn't Committment (Andy's organization) fund much of the ambulance set-up? I am just thinking that donating more funds would be better off going via Committment...Andy Schouten's org.

David K - 1-2-2014 at 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Baja Bucko
Didn't Committment (Andy's organization) fund much of the ambulance set-up? I am just thinking that donating more funds would be better off going via Committment...Andy Schouten's org.

Andy and Antonio work together... Here they are at the Itzel Heart Operation recovery/ success dinner, Nov. 11, 2010:

Here is Itzel:

Itzel with her mom (Isela) and brother:

durrelllrobert - 1-2-2014 at 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DavidE
I just now (10 minutes) arrived back in BA, with a bagful of antibiotics strong enough to lift my car off the ground...

I've got a long list of people to thank and I am going to do a lot of that via U2U so this doesn't get all mooshy on a public forum.

HOWEVER and I mean this as an EXCEPTION...

Antonio at Baja Cactus operating the gasolinera, and the hotel took on the DESERT HAWKS rescue mission, with a couple of very decent ambulances. Time, lots of time, a humbling contribution out of his own pocket, to get the ambulances, get personnel, train them, god you can imagine what all of this took out of his life.

DESERT HAWKS covers one of the most risky areas in the Baja peninsula. From well north of El Rosario to Cataviña. The "hog back" ridges, switchbacks, all of it. If a person had a medical emergency out there before Antonio took on this immense project, well, it was "The Old Baja", pray, get your hand held and get lifted into the back of someone's pickup truck.

The residents have had "many (Antonio can do this better than I)" lifesaving rescues and transports from the region to the Hospital at Colonia Guerrero.

La Cuesta del Diablo is covered from Sta Rosalia. The grade south of Loreto has Loreto Ambulance Service, From Lazaro Card##as northward there is service. Guerrero Negro hss service.

DESERT HAWKS is the "Big Gap". Just look at all the "Capillas" monuments on the side of Mex 1. It doesn't take a lot of imagination to muse how many of these lives may have been saved.

HELP SAVE YOUR OWN LIFE! PLEASE PERMIT ANTONIO TO KEEP THIS SERVICE NOT ONLY "RUNNING" but in a position to ADD LIFESAVING GEAR, and training. He needs a defibrillator, for a fact, top quality high speed tires, super good batteries not the barely working LTH or GOHNER stuff.

I added my pitiful amount of help a few months ago, and vowed then to get those ambulance electrical standards up to federal KKK-1822-AA standards, which means, stuff will start and work when you want it to. But I'm only me and with my pitiful pension that isn't much. But I do have the knowledge of emergency vehicle electrical design, installation and maintenance.

I never thought I would ever need the services (other folks would). Boy does life ever hold surprises. I had top notch EM treatment (being an old grumpy EMT 2 I know a good steak when I bite into one). This ride wasn't a taxi cab with red lights believe me.

I'm sorta out of bullets here. I wish Antonio could add to this, provide information about which stuff he would love to see arrive at the Baja Cactus gasolinera. A wish-list. Then cash donations to pay for fuel, vehicle maintenance, uniforms, training of personnel, and finally getting by whatever means those vital EMT instruments that can keep a person alive. Being naive I wonder if a PayPal account would work for those folks who cannot get directly to El Rosario. I've seen these programs enacted, the cost at first is jaw dropping, the once instruments get paid for, tires are new and spares are on hand, technicians get trained, and equipment Antonio needs get installed, then things get a bit less daunting to keep going,

Yeah I'm "big" on projects like this. Always have been. I know what they can do. I just don't want to ever have to read or to learn that a Nomad, or anyone else came out of a medical emergency in worse shape than they could have.

I'm still blown away that I ended up needing this service. I have had a list of things that I can do on the 2 ambulances for the last few months. Getting the project arranged is a challenge.

Antonio and Desert Hawks would like to hear from anyone that can help out. Everybody's got "something" (I don't just mean money) that can help out. Transportation of goods needed to the station, etc.

By the way, Isela, is a gorgeous young lady. You know that image of the nurses? Well Isela is a lot more conservative dresser, but she is the spitting image of a beautiful guardian angela. And like Antonio, she is one smart cookie!

Oh yeah, by the way, I penciled it out to the point of exhaustion with a calculator, then verified the arrival of "my bus" at the Tijuana bus station. Wanna know how much quicker the ambulance got to US CUSTOMS than that bus arrived at the Central Camionera in downtown Tijuana? Four Hours Forty Three Minutes! That's from "downtown "El Rosario"". Out in the sticks god only knows.

OK enough of a rant. People more adept at this than I am should take over now.

Thank You in advance for helping Desert Hawks.

Once you know all the particulars you (or Antonio) should register with this on-line outfit and the $$ will just flow in:

GoFundMe.com

that's how Igor Vovkovinskiy, the worlds tallest man , raised $46,180.00 for his custom made shoes:

“Thank you so much @gofundme for everything you did for me. Only because of @gofundme and my friends, was I able to raise money for shoes.”
__________________________________________________

Victoria Albright also raised: $171,540.00 to pay the medical bills for her daughter who was injured in the Colorado theater shooting.

[Edited on 1-3-2014 by durrelllrobert]

tjsue - 1-2-2014 at 06:55 PM

Go Fund Me works great!

bajamedic - 1-2-2014 at 10:36 PM

DavidE, I am a retired Mobile Intensive Care Paramedic in California, I will ask around about a defibrillator. Does he need a fully automatic model (AED), or will a basic 3 lead serve his needs. I am guessing that they are not ready for 12 lead, considering the current medical infrastructure. If you can get me his wish list, I will see what I can do for them. JH

Kgryfon - 1-3-2014 at 12:28 AM

"David,
You sales pitch all you want
Glad you're back and able to do it."

Ditto! If you get a way to fund, I'll help out.

boe4fun - 1-3-2014 at 09:46 AM

Hola David, Glad you're back. I'll be bringing down a big bag of oak leaves for you mid February. Paul

BajaRat - 1-3-2014 at 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajamedic
DavidE, I am a retired Mobile Intensive Care Paramedic in California, I will ask around about a defibrillator. Does he need a fully automatic model (AED), or will a basic 3 lead serve his needs. I am guessing that they are not ready for 12 lead, considering the current medical infrastructure. If you can get me his wish list, I will see what I can do for them. JH

Ditto that medic.

David glad to see you made it, we were worried.
If you don't mind me copying your first letter I will pitch it to my overhead. We have two older Zoll 12 lead, manual defibs. One is slated for BA but Ill shoot for the other one to the Desert Hawks.
Hats off to you Antonio :cool:

EnsenadaDr - 1-3-2014 at 09:57 AM

12 leads are routine at most rural clinics in Mexico to identify if and where exactly a heart attack or abnormality is taking place. Without the 12 lead, that would be virtually impossible.

Quote:

[Edited on 1-3-2014 by EnsenadaDr]

EnsenadaDr - 1-3-2014 at 10:00 AM

David, some clarification. Did you ever speak to anyone at Sharp concerning not needing their services?

Quote:

Originally posted by DavidE
Me again,

If there could be volunteers NOB who can make phone calls, make appointments, cut through some of the bureaucracy for Antonio, that may help a lot.

Me 22 centavos' worth thinks having some way to network to get parts down to Antonio would be fantastic. I am a perfect example of Snuffy Smith School of Economics who lives and dies by "seconds" demonstrator models, manufacturer's seconds, breaking open piggy banks, you name it. But I have priceless knowledge between my ears. I would love to get my chosen end underway with straightening out the electrical systems. Master cutoff switches, nice 1-watt solar maintenance chargers, 1,000 CCA group 65 batteries, and then a pair of ambulance grade Nippondenso 220 ampere alternators. Code 3 makes good lights but they cost a fortune. My 800 lumen LED inserts, will be free and give four times the "scene lighting" with the same reliability. I rob the Code 3 lamp housings heh heh.

But Antonio has to coordinate all this. His command of English is superb. So communications is no problem. I have to get my butt well and get up there and get those batteries (diesel) and cables into a reliable (meaning next to no maintenance) position. I have a functioning mail service at The UPS Store 0250 in Chula Vista. I know this stuff will work. There are a bunch of really sharp folks on this forum.

And....(Jaques Clouseau)...furthermore....

Can we get some folks to contact their Mexico Insurance Surplus Line Brokers? They too can cut modest donations and show the rest of the Mexico traveler's industry what a cohesive effort can accomplish. Yeah, wouldn't it be nice to maybe have a little lineup of decals showing just how much auto insurance companies are willing to go for their insured (OK, that's getting a little too hardball I'll back off).

Help Antonio! How can we help you? You are the brains of this effort.

BajaBlanca - 1-3-2014 at 11:39 AM

welcome back Daveeed and feliz ano !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DavidE - 1-3-2014 at 12:30 PM

I know there are a lot of organizations out there (The Rotary Club?) that would prefer to deal only with solicitation intermediaries that they know and trust. I am an utter stranger to these organizations and my pleas would fall on deaf ears. It is so discouraging to be willing but not able to help much.

75 miles Ensenada to the frontera

112 miles Ensenada to Lazaro Card##as (San Quintin)

45 miles Lazaro Card##as to El Rosario

76 Miles El Rosario to Cataviña

60 miles El Rosario to The Seguro Popular hospital in Colonia Guerrero

An ambulance gets around 10 miles per gallon. Less if it goes code 3 with a foot in the carburetor. At $3.75 per gallon for fuel now, a single trip, merely from El Rosario, to Cataviña, then transport to Colinia Guerrero then return to El Rosario costs the Desert Hawks a fortune. How much $$ is a Michelin 245X75X16" tire load range F?

A trip "expense cost" costs more than my car is worth. AGGHHHH!

IMHO a 12-lead De-fib unit would be WONDERFUL. Antonio is incredibly intelligent. He will find a way to get immediate training for himself and his crew. 2 units would be better yet. Nothing like a backup unit or for those instances where two are dispatched in different directions.

What I do not know (at all) is if it would be worth shooting for an electrocardiogram unit that has 3 or 4G capabilities. That would allow the sending of an electrocardiogram via cellular directly to the hospital. All kinds of things could then follow - like authorization to dispense cardiac medications in the ambulance while on the way to the hospital. But even a basic machine allows an incredible amount of information. It spits out a thermograph strip of paper, that can be handed to the attending Dr. the instant of arrival at the hospital. While the gurney is being wheeled to the treatment room the attending Dr. can be studying the graphs. My EMT 2 license expired twenty years ago so I am writing well out of my league here.

But rather than me fret about what i am UNable to do, I am going to concentrate on what I CAN do. As I mentioned in an earlier post I can provide some services to help out. Yes, my dream wish list includes me winning a super lotto and outfitting DESERT HAWKS with an evac helicopter.

But every forum reader can help in some way. Even making phone calls to organizations that donate equipment. The gurney that DESERT HAWKS uses is a SPINE BREAKER for the attendants. New style gurneys do not stress their backs when loading patients. I actually demanded (politely) that Antonio and Iselda PLEASE allow me to climb into the ambulance myself with assistance. Their gurney is not some piece of junk, it merely is not the new style that protects the technicians from a crippling back strain. I stand 6'2" and weigh 220 pounds. There is no way in hell I am going to allow someone to risk hurting themselves when they do not have to.

Again, that stretch of Mex 1, between the puesto de control militar above El Rosario to Cataviña is worrisome to me. I have seen too many injury accidents there over the years.

Once the "interest" of this thread gets muted I sure hope some volunteers with continuing resolve can serve to keep the donations and assistance program alive and well. I am merely "me" and my Dibble of help is pretty pitiful.

Thanks Fellow Nomads

And Thank you EL JEFE Forum Administrator!

BajaRat - 1-3-2014 at 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DavidE

IMHO a 12-lead De-fib unit would be WONDERFUL. Antonio is incredibly intelligent. He will find a way to get immediate training for himself and his crew. 2 units would be better yet. Nothing like a backup unit or for those instances where two are dispatched in different directions.

David,
Some of us do this for a livin, don't sweat it we'll lift you !

Unfortunately interpreting 12 leads is not something you pick up in a few weekend courses. I was referring to the 12 lead defibs being used by trained ACLS certified paramedics, nurses and physicians. :cool:

[Edited on 1-4-2014 by BajaRat]

mulegemichael - 1-3-2014 at 10:28 PM

davidE....let's not get greedy here now that we feel that folks are responding positively....do we now want TWO choppers?....really....let's start at ground zero and work our way up, whatcha say?.....we have ALL been part of fund raising down here on our peninsula and it is all about poco y poco....si?...be patient and it will come to you...

DavidE - 1-4-2014 at 02:34 PM

Mulegemichael,

Amigo, si cierto. Pero conoces piloto con tres!