Calexico Fire Department has immense amount of calls along the US-Mexico Border

Firefighters say they can respond to calls at the port of entry vehicle and pedestrian crossing up to multiple times a day - News 11's

CALEXICO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - The Calexico Fire Department (CFD) says they respond to many calls for service at the port of entry.

Last night, they received one call from a woman that was reported of having a seizure.

Firefighters were on the scene in less than five minutes.

The 31-year-old woman was shaking, unable to speak and feeling numbness throughout her body.

Calexico paramedic and firefighter, Esteban Hernandez, examined the patient and ruled out the seizure.

He said she was having tremors.

The woman was transported to the El Centro Regional Medical Center for further analysis.

Firefighter and EMT, Edgar Morales, says people cross the border for better treatment in the U.S.

"At the port of entry in 2021, we ran approximately 40% of calls out of 5,000 plus calls," said Morales.

The CFD says the taxpayers of Calexico do take on a burden of these call volumes because majority of the 1 million people that cross the border every year, do not live in Calexico, but are still receiving treatment here.

So their services that are funded by the taxpayers go toward that as well.

One paramedic and firefighter, Esteban Hernandez, says US citizens or not, they will not deny service to anyone.

"Even if you're not a US citizen. We have all the border jumpers as well that jump the border. We are there to serve them, the people," said Hernandez.

The department and city are looking into federal funding through various grants to ease the financial impact the border traffic brings.