Guatemala 9-1-1 Draft

PRESS RELEASE
Feb. 18
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact Information:
Jesse Dredge, founder
Guatemala 9-1-1
Phone: 435-757-2898
Address: 1357 N. 400 E. #3A
E-mail: jddredge@gmail.com

Drive for Lives

Ambulance and medical supplies to be donated to Guatemala.

Logan, Utah – The National Hospital of La Tinta in Guatemala houses eight doctors, two operation rooms, and one x-ray machine to manage a regional population of approximately 960,000 residents. The motivated staff works wonders regardless of the lack of medical equipment supplied to them. Unfortunately, their resourcefulness and motivation cannot help the most critically wounded and sick. The only alternative for these patients is to travel a two to three hour ride to the nearest regional hospital. The Ambulance- a small, white Toyota truck with a metal gurney and a tarp for adverse weather- is then requested. The patient is placed in the bed of the truck and sped away.

Although bleak, these circumstances are encouraging to those willing to help. “The most important aspect of charity is finding the right place to give to,” said Jesse Dredge, founder of Guatemala 9-1-1. Guatemala 9-1-1 is a recently formed organization that sees the potential in an area like La Tinta to save lives in the further development of the health care system. Guatemala 9-1-1 is currently seeking sponsorship and third party donations for the acquisition of an ambulance and medical supplies. The National Hospital of La Tinta’s medical staff has provided a list of necessary items and is currently awaiting their new ambulance. “The vehicle would be of great use to the hospital,” said Dr. Javier Tujab of the National Hospital La Tinta.

Jesse Dredge and Paul Oja, founders of Guatemala 9-1-1, will fill the ambulance with the medical supplies in Logan Utah, and then drive it 3,000 miles to Guatemala. The trip’s progression will be filmed and placed on YouTube for subscribers. “We want the whole project to be transparent, we want everyone to come along and see the impact they make,” said Dredge.

The campaign is currently in its planning stages and is an account within Utah State University’s TrueBlue public relations firm. The campaign will involve events such as charity concerts, charity runs, and a social media campaign to raise money. The organization is still looking for sponsors.

The timing of the project coincides with current governmental infrastructure development of note: the paving of the main highway in La Tinta. “The paved highway coupled with the ambulance donation could translate to hundreds of lives,” said Paul Oja, co-founder of Guatemala 9-1-1. Although this is Guatemala 9-1-1’s first campaign, the organization has great potential for future impact in La Tinta’s health care development.

Pneumonia accounts for half of the mortality rate of both infants and adults in La Tinta, and the majority will never see a health care professional. Even the maternal mortality rate is one of the highest in Guatemala, mostly due to placental retention. Most of these victims will never see a health care professional during child birth. If they are able receive hospital attention, the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare will fund the treatment and a patient’s costs will usually only result in the purchase of medication. Despite this effort, the deaths of these victims could have been prevented through proper hospitalization and care.

Information on events and sponsorship will soon be available.

For more information contact Jesse Dredge, account executive, jddredge@gmail.com, 435-757-2898.

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