Photos by Mary Alice Murphy
Fire and emergency groups host event 041319
Fire and emergency groups host event 041319
Sparky and Mario Montoya
Fire and emergency groups host event 041319
The Tyrone Volunteer Fire Department with members representing their six stations—Tyrone, White Signal, Wind Canyon, Flying A, Burro Mountain Homestead and Hachita.
Fire and emergency groups host event 041319
Chief Brad Malone of the Cliff-Gila VFD
Fire and emergency groups host event 041319
Kayla Knotts, Maysn Taylor and Fabian Garcia with the Easter basket Fabian won for Maysn.
Fire and emergency groups host event 041319
Sapillo Creek VFD truck
Fire and emergency groups host event 041319
Santa Clara truck with Larry Montoya, Mario Montoya and Mark Leyba
Fire and emergency groups host event 041319
Whiskey Creek VFD and some of its members
Fire and emergency groups host event 041319
Smokey with Matthew and Joseph Villegas
Fire and emergency groups host event 041319
Marisa Villegas joined Smokey, Matthew and Joseph
Fire and emergency groups host event 041319
Smokey with other Gila National Forest personnel
Fire and emergency groups host event 041319
Santa Clara Trustee Olga Amador, Romi Lucero and leaning over in back David Medrano of the Santa Clara Action Committee. They handed out hot dogs.
Fire and emergency groups host event 041319
Members of the Upper Mimbres VFD
Fire and emergency groups host event 041319
Santa Rita VFD members and one of their trucks
Fire and emergency groups host event 041319
The City of Bayard truck and a firefighter from Bayard
Fire and emergency groups host event 041319
Native Air helicopter and staff with a helicopter that transfers critically ill people to other facilities when needed.
Fire and emergency groups host event 041319
Silver City Fire Department staff members
Fire and emergency groups host event 041319
Gila Regional Medical Center EMS members, Marisol Torres and Glenda McKenna, hand out goodies to Issaiah and Noah Robles.
Fire and emergency groups host event 041319
Yolanda Villa at the Wild Fire Risk Reduction program booth with information
Fire and emergency groups host event 041319
Pinos Altos Volunteer Fire and Rescue members beside one of their trucks
Fire and emergency groups host event 041319
Hurley fire personnel are joined by Gabriel Jimenez in the truck and Alex Andazola standing with the firefighters
Fire and emergency groups host event 041319
Fort Bayard Volunteer Fire Department members with one of their trucks
Fire and emergency groups host event 041319
The American flag flies high over the event
On Saturday, April 13, members of volunteer fire departments and municipal fire departments as well as other emergency services joined together to host an event at the Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center parking lot to bring public awareness to what they do to protect life and property. They also provided information on how to protect one's own property.
One member said the departments, both the volunteer ones and the paid ones, are "desperate for volunteers and paid firefighters. Every fire department in the area needs more help. If we don't get the younger folks trained to get experience, who will take over when we retire?" He noted the average age of volunteer firefighters is 60 years, with some in their 80s still volunteering.
Grant County General Services Director Randy Villa said the event received support from the Grant County Manager, the Silver City-Grant County Chamber of Commerce, Ace Hardware, Southwest Leavitt Insurance Group from Las Cruces, Morning Star, Gila Regional Medical Center, Hurley Mayor Ed Stevens, Native Air, Gila National Forest Smokey Bear, Sparky the Fire Dog, Tapas Tree Grill, the Sim Training Group, New Mexico Fire, the village of Santa Clara hot dog stand and Tammy's Café in Cliff.