In a transformative upgrade to Belize’s local emergency healthcare infrastructure, the Belize Defense Force (BDF) has announced a major expansion of its medical capabilities: doubling its active ambulance fleet and rolling out the first on-site X-ray machine and automated external defibrillator (AED) in the force’s history.
The life-saving new equipment was gifted to the BDF through a donation from Tonic Life Belize, arranged by local medical sector businessman Issac Fehr, a veteran industry professional who previously built his career operating medical businesses in Mexico. Beyond serving active-duty BDF personnel, the upgraded resources will extend care to civilian residents of the nearby Ladyville and Lord’s Bank communities, addressing longstanding gaps in local emergency access.
Local media conducted interviews with key stakeholders involved in the donation rollout, including Belize’s Minister of National Defense Florencio Marin Junior, BDF Commandant Brigadier General Anthony Velasquez, and Fehr himself, all of whom framed the donation as a paradigm shift for the BDF’s healthcare services.
Minister Marin highlighted the sweeping impact of the new additions during the interview, noting that the standalone, fully outfitted X-ray unit eliminates the need for the BDF Hospital to outsource diagnostic imaging for service members. “It’s a significant game changer for the health sector of our Belize Defense Force,” Marin said. “As now they can do their own X-rays. I was just getting a tour. It is fully equipped with everything. It is standalone. So the Belize Defense Force Hospital now can do its own X-rays. There’s also a defibrillator for those, let’s hope we don’t have to use it very much, for those who suffer heart attack and definitely an ambulance that will also be used within the surrounding area. So it’s not just for the BDF, but for the wider Ladyville and Lord’s Bank community.”
Commandant Velasquez expanded on the scale of the capacity boost, explaining that prior to the donation, the entire BDF operated only one functional ambulance. “Presently, the Belize Defense Force, we only have one functioning ambulance, so this will be a great, like a fifty percent exponential capacity building for us, right? And we have had several need, several reasons to deploy ambulances so the ability to have another one is a great game changer for us. The X-ray machine, we’ve never had one before, and we’ve always needed to send our soldiers for various injuries to get X-rayed.”
For Fehr, the donation grew from a core mission to reduce preventable death and support vulnerable communities in Belize. After connecting with skilled BDF medical personnel, he saw an opportunity to pair his access to medical equipment with the force’s existing trained staff to create a fully functional, sustainable emergency care program. “Why it started? Saving lives. Be there for the suffering people and for that reason I get to know some of the BDF medics. It has been amazing being part of it. Today I had the equipment but not the professionals. So now the BDF do have the professionals. Bringing those two things together, that makes one complete,” Fehr explained.
A BDF spokesperson confirmed that all donations undergo a formal vetting process before being accepted into service, to ensure alignment with the force’s operational and community care standards. This report is adapted from a transcribed evening television broadcast, originally published online.