By Lauren Lifke
As the Sandoval County Fire Rescue prepares for the holiday fire and wildfire season, staffing is looking promising as the department plans to open a new fire station in the Cuba area.
Structure fires tend to pick up during the holiday season, according to SCFR Deputy Chief of Fire Operations Sean Kissane.
“With the colder weather, people are now starting getting their fires going, their pellet stoves,” Kissane said.
SCFR Wildland Battalion Chief Ryan Louchard said wildfire season will also be approaching soon. The months vary by year, but wildfires tend to be prevalent between March and July, he said.
The department as a whole is getting ready to hire 20 more people, Kissane said. The department hasn’t felt the effects of federal staffing cuts that have raised concerns throughout the state and country, he said.
The new department in Cuba will be a fully staffed station, Louchard said, adding resources to the region.
“We’ve got a pretty good response in Cuba,” Louchard said.
Kissane said SCFR has grown significantly in its staffing levels in recent years. When the fire service first opened, there were only 12 members of the personnel. This has increased to 35 now — not including the 20 personnel members who are training.
“Now, with this new hire, this will be our largest academy we’ve ever had,” Kissane said.
Despite adequate staffing, he said, SCFR is still seeking out volunteers. The department gets a lot of volunteers from Albuquerque, but it is seeking more volunteers from smaller communities in Sandoval County, he said.
“We’re always looking for people that are actually in our local area,” Kissane said.