The city of Albuquerque is sending one of the fire department’s decommissioned ambulances to its sister city of Kharkiv in Ukraine as the country continues to face Russian attacks.
The 2011 Ford F6G ambulance is in good working condition, said Sara Mannal, a city spokesperson. She said city leaders and community members wrote messages of hope and peace to put inside the ambulance before it was shipped to Ukraine to help the city with its emergency and recovery efforts in the Russia-Ukraine war.
The ambulance will be shipped by boat to a European port where it will be driven to the city.
Albuquerque and Kharkiv have been sister cities since June 2023, Mannal said in a news release.
“Sister Cities is about creating life-long friendships and personal diplomacy to promote peace,” said Economic Development Director Max Gruner. “This donation shows the world that even though Kharkiv is under fire, they are not alone.”
The ambulance was phased out by Albuquerque Fire Rescue when the department acquired a new one for its fleet.
“We are taking an ambulance that was being phased out and putting it to good use,” said Fire Chief Emily Jaramillo. “This gesture reaffirms our commitment to global unity and compassion.”