Annual Report - City of Las Cruces

JULY 1, 2014 to JUNE 30, 2015
Message From The Chief
Fiscal year 15 has been another testament to the dedication of the men and women of the Las Cruces
Fire Department and our efforts to continually strive to improve our level of service to the community. I have always believed our department is one of the best in the nation and this last year that was
confirmed through an independent evaluation by the Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO)
In April of this year we became the first ISO Class 1 fire department in the State of New Mexico.
Perhaps even more impressive is the fact there are only 97 organizations out of over 48,000 fire
departments in the United States that have achieved a Class 1 rating. This translates to the greatest
possible fire insurance savings for residents and business owners. This accomplishment was achieved
in partnership with the City of Las Cruces Utilities Department and the Mesilla Valley Regional Dispatch Authority (MVRDA) and further demonstrates the City’s commitment to enhancing public
safety for our citizens.
Fire protection and response are critical to our community, but the vast majority of emergencies
we respond to are medical in nature. For this reason, we once again sponsored a paramedic training
program in cooperation with the Doña Ana Community College. We were successful in obtaining a
federal grant to cover the costs of the program and we anticipate to experience a 100% completion
rate, which is well above the national average. The training should be completed by September at
which time we will have 31 paramedics within our department. This will allow us to provide personnel with the highest level of life saving training on more emergency medical calls than ever before. Plain and simple, this program saves lives, and we will continue our commitment to its success.
Working collectively with the Mayor and City Council, Office of the City Manager, Las Cruces
Police Department, Public Works and numerous other City departments, construction of the East
Mesa Public Safety Complex, which includes Fire Station 8, was initiated. This facility will enhance
safety for our residents in the Sonoma Ranch and East Mesa areas of the City. This long awaited
project will allow our department to expand into a two battalion system. This translates to better
resource management and service delivery for the entire community.
We also saw significant transition in our leadership team with the retirement of Deputy Chief Rusty
Smith, Battalion Chief John Guerin and Battalion Chief Bruce Brinkerhoff. Combined this was a loss
of over 68 years of experience. They will be missed, but the strength of our organization will ensure
those who take their places will build on their efforts to continue moving us forward. As proud
members of the Las Cruces Fire Department we remain committed to our mission and are thankful
for the opportunity to serve you.
The Las Cruces Fire Department
is committed to safely provide
customer service, fire protection
and education while maintaining
the highest regard for our
community and department.
We Are Committed To:
Honesty
Continually Striving
to Improve
Customer Service
High Performance
Openness and Teamwork
Respect for Diversity
If you have questions about your fire department, please
contact me at 575-528-3473 or email to: tbrown@las-cruces.org.
2 Las Cruces Fire Department 2014-15 Report to the Community
Forward Thinking
A C C O M P L I S H M E N T S A N D S T R AT E G I C P L A N
Groundbreaking Station 8
The City broke ground in May for the East Mesa Public Safety
Complex located on Sonoma Ranch Boulevard near Lohman Avenue. This complex will house Fire Station 8 and when it opens,
we will begin operating as a two battalion system. This will be a
significant change in our operations. Completion for this project is
anticipated for summer 2016.
Artist rendering of the East Mesa Public Safety Complex.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
ISO Rating Reduction
New Strategic Plan
The Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO) completed a survey for
the City of Las Cruces to evaluate our City’s fire protection and
response readiness. The result of this survey lowered the City’s
Public Protection Classification (PPC) to Class 1. PPC is a countrywide classification system used by ISO to reflect a community’s
local fire protection for property insurance rating purposes. ISO
classifies communities from 1 (the best) to 10 (the worst) based on
how well they score on the ISO Fire Suppression Rating Schedule,
which grades features such as water distribution, fire department
equipment and manpower and fire alarm and dispatch facilities.
This places Las Cruces as the first Class 1 community in New
Mexico and is a distinction held by just 97 communities nationwide. This lowered classification is meaningful to the community
because many insurance companies use ISO PPC rating to establish
commercial and residential building insurance rates. Combined efforts from the Las Cruces Fire Department, the City of Las Cruces
Utilities department, Mesilla Valley Regional Dispatch Authority
and City Management made this achievement possible.
The City of Las Cruces continues to use strategic planning as a
means to improve service delivery. During the last fiscal year,
our department was responsible for 24 different tasks within
the main plan; we completed 16 of these items. New tasks will
be identified for the coming two year period to replace those
that were completed and we will continue to strive to finish
the others that carry over. Some of the highlighted tasks we
achieved during FY15 include:
• Completed Insurance Services Office
(ISO) evaluation, resulting in a Class 1 rating.
• Adoption of a new mutual aid plan
with surrounding fire departments.
• Created joint active shooter response
guideline in conjunction with the Las Cruces
Police Department.
• Implementation of a mobile inspection software.
Las Cruces Fire Department 2014-15 Report to the Community 3
F I R E D E PA R T M E N T L E A D E R S H I P
Highlight
Driver/
Operators
This year we highlight
those responsible for
getting our crews
safely to and from the
emergency scene, our
Driver/Operators.
These employees
are charged with
maintaining and
operating our
fire apparatus
and transporting
personnel and
equipment from the
station to where they
are needed when an
incident occurs. Our
Driver/Operators
serve as the second
in command of our
crews and do a great
deal to make sure we
provide outstanding
service. We have an
excellent history
of safe driving even
under the toughest
of circumstances or
driving conditions.
My first car was... My dream car is...
Tony Aguilar
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 1B
Years of Service: 12
Robert Galaz
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 5C
Years of Service: 17
Lerame Barela
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift:: 6A
Years of Service: 9
Jose Granados
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 6B
Years of Service: 3
Robert Brown
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 3A
Years of Service: 8
David Guerra
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 1A
Years of Service: 7
Harold Caldwell
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 3B
Years of Service: 17
Erick Hernandez
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 4A
Years of Service: 7
Michael Conover
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 7B
Years of Service: 10
Matthew Hiles
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 3C
Years of Service: 7
Norman Cox
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 1C
Years of Service: 10
Chris Johnson
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 4C
Years of Service: 4
Tim Ekstrom
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 1B
Years of Service: 9
Jacob Lozano
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 1C
Years of Service: 7
My first car was a Nissan Maxima.
My dream car is CARmen Electra.
My first car was a Ford Festiva
My dream car is a Lexus LFA.
My first car was a Toyota Celica.
My dream car is a Bugatti Veyron.
My first car was a
1990 Chrysler LaBaron.
My dream car is a Bugatti Veyron.
My first car was a 1959 American
Rambler. My dream car is a 1965
Lincoln Continental Convertible.
My first car was a Nissan pickup.
My dream car is my pickup
but one that is fully loaded.
My first car was a Ford Mustang.
My dream car is a Jeep Rubicon.
My first car was a 1983 Honda Prelude
My dream car is a 1972 Chevy Malibu.
My first car was 1994 Honda Civic.
My dream car is a Porsche Cayman S.
My first car was a 1974 VW Beetle.
My dream car is The Batmobile.
My first car was a Datsun pickup.
My dream car is a 1970
convertible Camaro.
My first car was a
1972 Chevy Chevelle.
My dream car is a Lincoln MKZ.
4 Las Cruces Fire Department 2014-15 Report to the Community
My first car was a 1973 Ford Maverick.
My dream car is a 1971 Plymouth Cuda.
My first car was a
1986 Toyota Pickup.
My dream car is Truck 1!
F I R E D E PA R T M E N T L E A D E R S H I P
Luis Meza
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 2C
Years of Service: 15
Nicky Palma
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 2A
Years of Service: 10
Diego Salas
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 4B
Years of Service: 4
Michael Moziejko
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 5A
Years of Service: 10
John Parr
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 4C
Years of Service: 14
Justin Whitefield
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 6C
Years of Service: 7
Ben Myers
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 7A
Years of Service: 8
Robert Pedersen
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 4A
Years of Service: 8
Adrian Zamora
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 4C
Years of Service: 13
Jose Ortiz
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 7C
Years of Service: 12
Mike Peru
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 1A
Years of Service: 12
Gilbert Paez
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 2B
Years of Service: 19
Michael Poppy
Driver/Classification
Station - Shift: 5B
Years of Service: 10
My first car was a
1992 Chevy Silverado.
My dream car is a 1956 Bel Air.
My first car was a
1975 Chevy pickup.
My dream car is a 1957 Shelby.
My first car was a Honda Accord.
My dream car is a 2002 Saturn.
(living the dream)
My first car was a
1982 Chevy Camaro.
My dream car is a Aston Martin.
My first car was a
1979 Datsun pickup.
My dream car is a
1969 Pontiac GTO Judge.
My first car was a
1972 Volkswagen Beetle.
My dream car is an
Aston Martin Vanquish.
My first car was a
1979 Ford F-150.
My dream car is a Camaro.
My first car was a
1973 Chevy Truck.
My dream car is a
1964 Impala SS.
My first car was a
1970 Chevelle.
My dream car is a 1970 Chevelle.
I don’t remember my first car.
My dream car is a
new Tundra truck.
My first car was a
2003 Dodge Ram 1500.
My dream car is a black
1968 Chevy Chevelle SS.
My first car was a
1987 Chevy 4x4.
My dream car is a
2013 Shelby GT 500.
My first car was a
1964 Ford Pickup.
My dream car is a
2015 Toyota Tacoma 4x4.
These
Driver/Operators
demonstrate the
commitment our
personnel have to
our community and
organization and
the pride they
take in performing
their duties.
Las Cruces Fire Department 2014-15 Report to the Community 5
Response Charts
Call Volume
Call Volume
We experienced an increase of more than 8% in our calls
for service over last year. With almost 16,000 calls this
year, we are approaching levels similar to those in 2012,
before we changed certain aspects of our response models. LCFD continues to evaluate our service delivery and
methods to make sure we meet the demand and provide
the appropriate resources in the time of need. These numbers only account for responses by the primary unit. Many
of these calls for service required more than one unit.
Calls by Type
Calls by Type
Calls for emergency medical services (EMS) continue to
make up the majority of our responses representing 68%
of our overall call volume. We also responded to 247 fire
calls during the year which made up 2% of our total call
volume.The 4,063 calls for “All Other Responses” include
incidents involving lockouts, smoke scares, animal rescues
and other incident types that we do not classify under EMS
or fire. We experienced 669 false alarms during the year
which is a small reduction from the false alarm calls in
FY14. False alarms are made up of fire, medical and other
types of alarms.
Fires by Type
Fires by Type
Of the 247 fires we responded to during the last fiscal
year, 64 were structure fires. Structure fires include any
fire that occurs in single family homes, apartments, places
of public assembly, schools or businesses. Fires involving
commercial and passenger vehicles, brush fires or wildlands and rubbish/dumpsters accounted for 51% of our
fire responses. Regardless of the incident type, our focus
is always on life safety, property conservation, incident
stabilization and customer service.
6 Las Cruces Fire Department 2014-15 Report to the Community
Response Charts
EMS Patient Contacts
EMS Patient
Contacts
We treated 8,562 patients during fiscal year 2015. Medical conditions varied from minor first aid for scrapes and
bumps to cardiac arrest. To meet the increase in demand
and various medical conditions LCFD continues to provide
EMS continuing education to all of our providers.We were
also successful in receiving a federal grant for the training
of additional paramedics. The 29% shown in the chart as
“Other” represent patients who had illnesses that fall outside
of the listed categories.
Responses by Station
There were a total of 16,764 emergency and non-emergency responses in FY15. These numbers take into account all responses by unit which is why the totals here are
larger than the call volume chart. Fire District 1 continues
as the busiest district with Engine 1, Truck 1 and Battalion 1 answering 4,327 calls for service in FY15. We also
experienced variations in call volume for Engine 2 and
Engine 6. The Squad program was tested at Station 6 for
six months to evaluate the impact of that program within
district six. After consideration of the effect on response
times and call volume the decision was made to move the
Squad program back to Fire Station 2.
Fire and EMS
Response Times
Responses by Station
Average Response Times Under Five Minutes
The time it takes for us to get to an emergency incident
is an important factor in the delivery of our service. In
any emergency, our goal is to get there safely and quickly.
During FY15, the first arriving LCFD apparatus was on
scene within five minutes 63% of the time for all calls
requiring lights and sirens. This is a 10.5% improvement
over last year. One of the reasons the Squad pilot program
was placed in District 2 was to improve response times for
the busiest company in the City. Engine 2 is now on scene
within 5 minutes 72% of the time which is the highest
percentage within our department. Overall our average
response time for all calls when driving lights and sirens
is 4 minutes and 59 seconds. We are also able to provide
advanced life support for EMS calls 90% of the time in
under 8 minutes.
Las Cruces Fire Department 2014-15 Report to the Community 7
E MERGENCY M EDICAL S ERVICES S ECTION
The mission of the Las Cruces Fire Department’s Emergency Medical Services Program
is to deliver the best and highest quality medical care possible to the community.
EMT Training Program - Paramedic
One of the primary objectives within the EMS Section is to develop, promote
and conduct relevant and advanced EMS training for the members of this organization in our continuing effort to provide the best possible care for the citizens
of Las Cruces. In July 2014, FEMA awarded the Las Cruces Fire Department
(LCFD) a $250K grant that enabled us to sponsor 10 students through our collaborative LCFD-Dona Ana Community College (DACC) accelerated paramedic
program. As of June 2015, all 10 students are close to completing the course and
we anticipate they will be licensed NM paramedics by September 2015.Two other
LCFD employees enrolled in the DACC classes on their own and are expected to
become licensed paramedics. This will bring the total number of paramedics employed by LCFD to 31, furthering our ability to provide paramedic level care to
our community when it’s needed. Upon completion of this paramedic program,
over 65% of our EMTs will practice at the Advanced EMT or paramedic level.
Early Heart Attack Care
In our continuing effort to increase cardiac arrest survival rates in our community,
we are partnering with Project Heart Start, Mountain View Regional Medical Center, Dona Ana County Health and Human Services and American Medical Response
to implement a community hands-only CPR program.The purpose of the program
is to increase the number of citizens who are willing and able to provide handsonly CPR to victims of cardiac arrest if they witness a cardiac arrest and increase
the number of automatic external defibrillators (AED) deployed throughout the
community. Bystander CPR, started before emergency response crews arrive, is
vital to a victim’s survival. The program will also provide AED training to participants which will enable them to administer life-saving shocks to victims if needed,
also prior to the arrival of response crews. This
program is parallel to an internal hands-only CPR
program that we conduct in collaboration with
our Risk Management Department in our effort to
teach hands-only CPR and AED operation to City
employees. The City already deployed 19 AEDs in
City buildings.
8 Las Cruces Fire Department 2014-15 Report to the Community
Zoll X Series Monitor
Acquisition Complete
Fiscal Year 2015 saw the completion of our switch to the
Zoll X Series monitor-defibrillator, a key piece of medical
equipment for our everyday medical calls and cardiac arrest.
With a monitor on every apparatus, it is used on nearly every
medical call to which we respond. Our monitors enable us
to:
• Send EKGs to receiving hospitals to provide early
notification to special cardiac teams essential to the
treatment of certain cardiac dysrhythmias;
• Monitor cardiac rhythms, blood pressure, SpO2
(a measure of oxygen concentration in the blood);
• Verify correct placement of advanced airways via
capnography; and
• Review treatment after a call to help us to improve
the care we deliver.
P REVENTION S ECTION
The Fire Prevention Section focuses on aspects of life safety. The primary objective is to
reduce preventable deaths, injuries and property loss through public education programs,
fire inspections of commercial properties and enforcement of fire codes.
Staff L to R: Lt. C. Mount, Fire Marshal T. Sweetser, Inspector/Investigator M. Danner,
Fire Engineer M. Dubbin, Inspectors W. Monsivaiz and J. Casteel.
Fire Investigations
Fire Prevention Personnel are tasked with investigating
fires within the City to determine how and why the fire
started. Often, these scenes can be complex and time consuming so all sworn members of the Fire Prevention Section
are required to receive additional fire investigation training
and certification. We also work in conjunction with detectives from the
Las Cruces Police
Department and
the District Attorney’s office on
cases involving the
crime of arson.
Inspector J. Casteel W. Monsivaiz and C. Mount investigate a house fire.
Fire Inspections/Code Enforcement
The dedicated staff of the Fire Prevention Section with the combined efforts of our fire crews
conducted over 3,200 annual business inspections throughout the City. This program is intended
to get voluntary compliance and cooperation of the business owners to improve the safety of their
workplace. Our efforts were enhanced this year by “going green” with the introduction of mobile
software to conduct business inspections. This reduces paper waste and improves customer service.
Las Cruces Fire Department 2014-15 Report to the Community 9
Operations
and
Training Section
L a s c r u c e s F i r e D e pa r t m e n t 2 0 11 - 1 2 R e p o r t t o t h e c o m m u n i t y
Crews practicing forced entry during their live burn training.
FSTARFirefighter Safety
Through Advanced Research
Crew securing their air supply masks for live burn training.
Live Fire Training
This year, a “roll-over” training prop was installed in the Training
Tower located just west of Fire Station 7 near the airport. This
prop allows us to introduce fire along the ceiling, much like fire
rolls through the smoke in a building, making our training much
more realistic. The Training Tower also allowed us to train and
apply the latest firefighting research from Underwriter’s Laboratories (UL) and the National Institute of Standards & Technology
(NIST). By teaching our firefighters these new methods we will
be able to extinguish fires more quickly and make interior conditions safer for occupants.
10 Las Cruces Fire Department 2014-15 Report to the Community
Las Cruces hosted a regional training event in conjunction
with the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)
in September. Support from the Las Cruces Convention
and Visitors Bureau and the Las Cruces Professional Firefighters Association was instrumental in our community
being chosen. Deputy Chief Jason Smith served on the
national committee that developed the training based on
the research being done by National Institute of Standards
& Technology (NIST) and Underwriters Laboratories.
This research has increased firefighter safety and improved operations in combating structure fires. The event
was attended by representatives
from throughout New Mexico
and Texas and featured speakers
from NIST, Los Angeles County
and Oklahoma City.
Specialized Response Team
(TRT, HMRT, ARFF)
Technical Rescue Team
Our Technical Rescue Team (TRT) consists of 21
members trained in multiple disciplines to include:
confined space, swiftwater, trench rescue, structural
collapse, and rope rescue. This year the team participated in a number of trainings in both classroom and
simulated emergency settings. TRT also added equipment and infrastructure that will improve its capacity to train for and respond to a variety of emergency
scenarios.
Three members received specialized rope certifications, raising the level of expertise of the TRT and
ensuring members are familiar with necessary equipment and practices. The team also participated in a
swift-water rescue certification and refresher course
staged at Caballo Lake State Park. This training equips
team members with skills necessary for rescues in
Las Cruces Hazmat Response Team at the 2014 Hazmat Challenge.
flash floods and other weather events.
Five new members joined New Mexico
Task Force 1 (NM-TF1), a national urban
search and rescue team, receiving training
in structural collapse, surface water rescue, and hazardous materials. We also had
eight members attend a three-day, full scale
mock exercise simulating a strong earthquake, staged in Albuquerque and Santa
Fe. The exercise,
which involved
15 agencies from
across the U.S.,
included simulated rescues in collapsed buildings,
extrication from
vehicles and rubble, and a wide
area search with
canines.
J. Eckhart and A. Brown doing rope
rescue training.
Technical Rescue Team practice
rope rescue at the Training Tower.
2014 Hazmat Challenge
Our Hazardous Materials Response Team (HMRT),
located at Fire Station 4, placed second in the
Overall Division at the 18th Annual Los Alamos
National Laboratories Hazmat Challenge. The team
missed first place by less than one point and placed
third in the Technical Division. The event hosted 13
teams from New Mexico, Missouri, Oklahoma and
Nebraska. They represented fire departments, the
military and civilian industrial agencies.
This year’s scenarios were tied together under the
theme of natural disasters, specifically an earthquake. The team had to deal with hazards such as
a leaking rail car and tanker truck, a radioactive
waterway, damaged pipes and valves at a facility, a
confined space rescue, as well as a field monitoring
exercise. This type of real life training better prepares the team to deal with real world situations.
Air Management Program
Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF)
The Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) specialized team is housed at Fire
Station 7 located at the Las Cruces International Airport. This team is responsible for the mitigation of all events that deal with aircraft emergencies. Due to
the nature of combustibles involved in an aircraft crash and the physical forces
which are experienced, specialized training in strategy, rescue, and fire suppression are necessary for all members.
The team successfully completed their annual certification burns at Kirtland Air
Force Base in Albuquerque and passed the annual FAA inspection. ARFF team
leader, Lieutenant Jacob Trujillo, stated, “2015 was our finest showing in the
team’s 20 plus year history,” and commended the members for their dedication.
The Air Management Program (AMP), is a team of
individuals located at Fire Station 2 and is responsible for testing and maintaining the Self-Contained
Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) firefighters use in
smoke filled environments. This year our department received a $385,000 federal grant which
allowed us to upgrade our entire fleet of SCBAs. A
total of 89 SCBAs were replaced with a new model
that is compliant to the newest standards and
equipped with the latest technology. Our firefighters work in demanding environments and these
new air packs will allow them to function more efficiently while improving their safety.
Las Cruces Fire Department 2014-15 Report to the Community 11
Community Outreach
and P ublic E ducation
LCFD continues to serve our community outside of our emergency response duties. We provide the community with valuable
resources including car seat checks and installation, our Youth
Fire Setter Intervention Program and the Vecino Program. We
will also check your blood pressure if you stop by any fire station
between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Fire crews participating in the Firefighter’s Memorial Day ceremonies.
Firefighters Memorial Day at Veterans Park.
Firefighters Memorial Day
Las Cruces firefighters observed the 33rd annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial
Day in remembrance of firefighters throughout the U.S. who have died in the line of duty
during the past year. Local firefighters, along with veterans and community members,
raised a garrison flag at 8 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, at Veterans Park on Roadrunner Parkway.
Following the posting of the Garrison flag Las Cruces firefighters held a bell service as part
of the annual Bells Across America, a solemn ceremony in honor of the fallen firefighters.
CLC Hands Only CPR- Hands Only CPR Can Save Lives
Members from the Las Cruces Fire Department and the City of Las Cruces Risk Management Department have teamed up to host hands only and automatic external defibrillators
(AED) training for City employees. More than 60 employees received training in this potential lifesaving skill. We also participated in the annual New Mexico Heart Start project
that provides free training for citizens in hands only CPR, AED use and in ways to recognize
a heart attack. Recent studies and changes in recommendations from American Heart Association have supported bystander
hands only CPR. By pushing in the
center of the chest hard and fast the
survival rate for a witnessed cardiac
arrest can increase from a national
average of 5% up to 30%. Our community has averaged just over 100
out of hospital sudden cardiac arrest
events per year for the last five years.
By training more citizens to perform
CPR we could see 30 more people
a year surviving these events and returning to their families.
12 Las Cruces Fire Department 2014-15 Report to the Community
Public Education
Public education is provided by both the
firefighters who work in the Fire Prevention
Section as well as by firefighters who staff our
emergency response units. We provide classes to
all ages of children and adults on fire safety topics.
This year we were able to reach approximately
5,700 people in our community. Some of the
classes offered through the Fire Prevention
Section include proper use of a fire extinguisher,
Youth Fire Setter Intervention and general fire
safety education.
Firefighters R. Diaz and F. Duran teach parents and children
the importance of fire safety.
Promotions
and
Recognition
The community continues to recognize our employees for their efforts on and off duty.
recognition highlights
promotions
Congratulations M. Danner Inspector/Investigator, A. Arias BC Safety & Training and
C. Mount Prevention Lieutenant.
Firefighter Arnold Diaz at the Sons of the American Revolution recognition ceremony.
Sons of the American Revolution
Firefighter of the Year
Sons of the American Revolution recognized Firefighter Arnold Diaz
as Firefighter of the Year.
Fire Chief Brown, Lt. Cody Haver and Chamber of Commerce President/CEO, Bill Allen
at Firefighter of the Year ceremony.
Chamber of Commerce Firefighter of the Year
Lt. Cody Haver received the Chamber of Commerce Firefighter of
the Year award. Lt. Haver was recognized in part because of his research on the use of paramedics within LCFD along with the fact he
is enrolled in the current paramedic training program. He also
earned his Master’s degree in public administration.
Las Cruces Firefighter
Selected to Serve on Fire
Attack Technical Panel
Lieutenant Jason Floyd was selected from a
pool of 300 firefighters to serve on a national
committee established by Underwriters
Laboratories. This technical panel is being
created to study methods of improving firefighter safety and occupant
survival. Jason has been with the Las Cruces Fire Department for
more than 12 years and has been instrumental in providing training
in firefighting tactics and strategies. Lt. Floyd will be working with
fire professionals representing communities throughout the United
States to include major cities such as Los Angeles, Washington D. C.,
Boston, New York, Pittsburgh, Houston and Seattle.
Deputy ChiefAdministration
Jason Smith
December 28, 2014
Lieutenant
Tibor Kocsis
June 28, 2015
Inspector
James Casteel
June 14, 2015
Lieutenant
Vicente Zamora
June 28, 2015
LieutenantTraining Officer
Ronald
Schulmeister
June 28, 2015
Driver/Operator
Chris Johnson
March 15, 2015
Battalion ChiefOperations Shift
Commander- B Shift
Michael Daniels
May 31, 2015
Driver/Operator
Diego Salas
June 28, 2015
Battalion ChiefOperations Shift
Commander- C Shift
Tony Espiritu
May 31, 2015
Driver/Operator
Michael Conover
June 28, 2015
Lieutenant
Cody Haver
November 2, 2014
Driver/Operator
Jose Granados
June 28, 2015
Las Cruces Fire Department 2014-15 Report to the Community 13
R e t i r e m e nt s
Inevitably, our
employees move on
to the next chapter
in their lives. We
congratulate all five of
our retirees this year
and thank you for your
years of service to our
department and the
community.
Tradition dictates that all colleagues sign the retiree’s last helmet.
Left, Deputy Chief S. Mims presents the helmet to R. Smith at his retirement party.
Gloria Chavez-Montoya
Office Assistant
Retired May 9, 2015
27 years, 5 months of
service
Friends and family came to
say best wishes to Gloria
Chavez-Montoya (center).
Robert Boehms
Lieutenant
Retired Oct. 31, 2014
24 years, 9 months
of service.
Russell Smith
Deputy Chief
Retired Dec. 25, 2014
26 years, 8 months
of service.
14 Las Cruces Fire Department 2014-15 Report to the Community
Bruce Brinkerhoff
Battalion Chief
Retired March 31, 2015
18 years, 11 months
of service.
John Guerin
Battalion Chief
Retired March 30, 2015
21 years, 10 months
of service.
We wish
you
health
and
happiness
as you
move
forward.
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
As we work on our current goals in support of the City’s Strategic Plan, we are always looking ahead. The future
looks very bright for the City of Las Cruces and the Las Cruces Fire Department. Some of the highlights for next
year include:
LCFD and LCPD Develop
Active Shooter Incident Response Procedures
The Las Cruces Fire Department and the Las Cruces Police Department have
finalized joint response procedures dealing with active shooter incidents. We
are preparing our firefighters to respond with police to triage, treat and remove
victims from danger during these incidents. By beginning treatment as quickly
and as safely as possible we believe we can increase the chances of survival for our
citizens should an event occur in our community. Equipment will be purchased
from a grant awarded through the New Mexico Office of Emergency Management and the Department of Homeland Security. Training between LCPD, LCFD
and other local law enforcement agencies has taken place over the past year and
will continue throughout the remainder of 2015.
Fire Academy 30
As the construction phase for Station 8 gets underway, we are
also beginning to plan for our next fire academy. It is anticipated
to be the largest academy held by LCFD with hopes to graduate
25 cadets. Recruitment for the 30th Fire Academy will begin
with practice physical ability opportunities which will be open to
anyone in the community looking for a career in the fire service.
The academy is expected to start in early 2016 with graduation
occurring around July.
Alternate Response Vehicle (ARV)
We expect to have our first alternate response vehicle (ARV) in service by December of 2015. This will be a four door pickup capable of carrying equipment to
deal with the majority of incidents. This ARV will be staffed with the same crew
that is assigned to one of our ladder trucks. The crew will respond on the smaller,
more economical unit to most calls but will still have the ability to take the ladder
truck in the event they need to respond to a fire. If this new program works as
planned we will be putting more ARV units in service in the future.
Having Some Fun
Fire vs PD Flag Football Game
The annual flag football game between the Las Cruces Fire
Department and Las Cruces Police Department was held
at the Field of Dreams on February 15th. Police officers
had to hand over the traveling trophy after LCFD won the
game with a score of 63 to 28. All proceeds from the game
benefitted La Casa.
LCFD players taking back the winning trophy from LCPD.
5th Annual Firefighter’s Ball
The Las Cruces Fire Department and the Las Cruces
Professional Firefighters Association hosted the 5th
Annual Firefighter’s Ball at the Farm and Ranch
Museum on February 14th. This annual ceremony
allows the department to recognize current employees
and retirees for their achievements, years of service
milestones, promotions and other contributions to the
organization.
Employees gathered for a night of peer
recognition, dining and dancing.
Las Cruces Fire Department 2014-15 Report to the Community 15
For more information on the 2014-15 Fire Department Report to the Community and other public safety programs,
call the Las Cruces Fire Department at (575) 528-3473, or visit us on the web at www.clcfd.com
Fire Department Headquarters | 201 E. Picacho Avenue | Las Cruces, NM 88001
Phone: (575) 528-3473 | Fax: (575) 528-4082 | TTY: (575) 528-4211