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Fire Fight: El Cenizo firefighters quit

By Ray Gomez

Story Created: Sep 18, 2009

Story Updated: Sep 18, 2009

A battle between El Cenizo mayor and volunteer firefighters has prompted the resignation of 8 firefighters.
Our Noraida Negron has the story you will only see here on 8!
Rene Lopez, volunteer firefighter:
"We do need equipment for the Fire Department. Uniforms, badges, radios, gas masks, air tanks and the mayor hasn't helped us with any of that."
So about a month ago the El Cenizo firefighters were in Laredo raising money for new uniforms and equipment."
They were able to raise close to three thousand dollars with a "fill the boot" campaign.
"We ended up buying the radios, uniforms and some other equipment we were going to buy but mayor called the company and told them to cancel them."
El Cenizo mayor says the money was raised illegally and they didn't follow policy.
"They decided to distant themselves from the organization and decided to take a new organization on their own without the support or authorization from city council."
"According to all 8 volunteer firefighters they turned in their uniform and radios including the key to the fire station leaving El Cenizo without any first responders."
"We have a fully functional department we have procedures and policies in place to ensure we reduce the liability risk of having these type of incidents."
Incidents he says like using city equipment and using the fire truck without permission.
" He himself gave us the key to the fire department go ahead and use it in case of an emergency that’s what we've been doing."
Meanwhile the volunteer firefighters say they are confused and don't know what to do.
"The mayor is talking about pressing charges against us for trespassing and using the fire truck and fire department."
According to El Cenizo mayor he is conducting an investigation against the firefighters.
El Cenizo mayor says the city will still have a department.
Right now he is in talks of an agreement with the Rio Bravo fire station to respond to fires in his city.