Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - In the coming weeks as schools let out and the temperatures rise, kids and families flock to the rivers, pools and beaches for classic summertime recreational activities and to seek refuge from the heat. With the hundreds of thousands of individuals hitting the waterways, many of whom are inexperienced swimmers or boaters, stories of drowning and near drowning are common.

Thanks to the sale of the inaugural Heroes’ Calendar featuring Puerto Vallarta’s first-responders, world-class trainers José Palacios Aguilar from the University of Coruna Spain and Brandon Avalos Diego from the Lifeguard Corps of Argentina have been brought to Puerto Vallarta for a two-week hands-on advanced training session to bring our firefighters and lifeguards to the next level in continuing education and abreast of the most current life-saving techniques.

In addition to the Puerto Vallarta Bomberos, José Palacios Aguilar and Brandon Avalos Diego, at the invitation of the local Department, have welcomed first-responders from Mexico City, Guadalajara, Sayulita and other local cities to take part in the ISO 9000 certification training.

Sales of the calendar have also been earmarked to send local representatives to an advanced training seminar in San Luis Potosi sponsored by the Association of Mexican Fire Chiefs and to bring in instructors from Monterrey to conduct Hazardous Materials Training.

Sponsors of the inaugural calendar included Andale Restaurant & Bar, Andales on the Bay, Apache’s Martini Bar & Bistro, BanderasNews.com, Coffee Cup, Nacho Daddy’s Restaurant and Bar, PVRPV, Timothy Real Estate, Tropicasa Realty and Victor's Bar & Grill.

Committee members included Gary Green, Tim Longpré, Margaret Souder, Bert Ramirez, Cindy DuChateau-Ramirez, Julie Guerrero, Miguel Velazquez, Alma Salgado and James Myers. Special thanks to Josef Kandoll W Photography, John McCloud, John Stewart, Mayor Salvador González Reséndiz, Jorge Alejandro García Rojas, Patronato de Bomberos de Puerto Vallarta, US Consular Agent Kelly Trainor and the 90 men and women that proudly serve the Puerto Vallarta Fire Department. Accommodations for the trainers have been donated by Andales on the Bay.

Calendars are still available online at BomberosCalendar.com.