Chihuahua Congress Demands Urgent Action for Ciudad Juárez Firefighters
Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico – May 19, 2026 – The Chihuahua State Congress, by a majority vote, has issued a strong exhortation to the municipal president of Ciudad Juárez, Cruz Pérez Cuéllar, and the Municipal Civil Protection Directorate. The call to action addresses the urgent need to tackle the institutional abandonment, labor unprotectedness, operational precarity, and the absence of a special retirement system for the Heroic Firefighter Corps of Ciudad Juárez.
This initiative stems from a proposal presented by Deputy Edna Xóchitl Contreras Herrera, who referenced a tragic fire on May 5, 2026, in the Portales de San Pedro II subdivision. The incident resulted in the deaths of Sury Marlene, 34, and her 10-year-old daughter, Karina. Neighbors reportedly attempted to extinguish the fire with buckets, hoses, and extinguishers before firefighters arrived approximately 40 minutes after the blaze began.
Critical Deficiencies Highlighted
The motion’s explanatory statement underscores that the southeastern part of Ciudad Juárez lacks nearby fire stations. Furthermore, it notes that the municipal government failed to act on a previous exhortation approved by the Congress in April 2026, which requested an equipment program, improved working conditions, and a salary review for emergency personnel.
Deputy Contreras Herrera also revealed that while ten fire stations officially exist in Juárez, only seven are operational. Stations 6 and 9 are occupied by military personnel, and Station 10 is abandoned. She emphasized that, according to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards, a city the size of Juárez should have at least 20 fire stations, 20 functional tanker trucks, and 30 operational extinguishing units.
Call for a Special Retirement System and Detailed Reporting
Another key point of the exhortation is the establishment of a special retirement system for municipal firefighters. The Congress argues that the physical wear and tear and inherent risks of their work are not comparable to those of administrative personnel, and they currently lack a retirement system commensurate with their duties.
Consequently, the Municipality has been requested to submit a detailed report within 15 days regarding the response to the Portales de San Pedro II fire. This report must also include an updated inventory of operational stations and a rehabilitation program for existing infrastructure. Additionally, the Congress demands a plan for the acquisition of new machinery, tanker trucks, and rescue equipment, as well as the initiation of necessary procedures to create a special pension scheme for members of the Heroic Firefighter Corps.
The Congress’s intervention seeks to rectify long-standing issues that have left Ciudad Juárez’s firefighters critically underserved and the city vulnerable to emergencies. The focus now shifts to the municipal government’s response to these urgent demands.
Source: https://www.omnia.com.mx/noticia/427366/exige-congreso-atender-crisis-del-cuerpo-de-bomberos-en-ciudad-juarez
