Mike Smith
El Rito Media
msmith@currentargus.com

With continuing growth in Eddy County causing increased demand for emergency service, the county’s fire and rescue department is pursuing an extensive program of equipment, facility and organizational upgrades.

Requests for fire and emergency services increased 3% through September of this year compared with September 2023, according to Eddy County Fire and Rescue Chief Joshua Mack.

Two years ago, county commissioners approved Mack’s plan to consolidate 11 volunteer fire department districts into three paid districts serving the northern and southern ends of the county along with Queen Fire District in southwestern Eddy County.

Mack said the districts would improve emergency response and maintain fire insurance ratings.

Along with consolidation, the department is enhancing facilities with the help of government grants, said department spokesperson Savannah Cabezuela.

Grants from the state and other sources also have been instrumental in upgrading equipment, including fire trucks and hoses, according to Mack.

Among the facility improvements cited by Cabezuela are new living quarters and a gymnasium for the fire and rescue department’s station in Loving.

Mack said the Loving station and a station in Otis are strategically placed to help with emergencies in parts of the county that have experienced significant growth from fossil fuel development.

Mack said a regional fire station was constructed in response to residential and commercial development in the McNew area north of Carlsbad and increased traffic on U.S. Highway 62/180. A regional fire station also was being built near Artesia on Tumbleweed Road, he said. The new station will replace an outdated station on 13th Street.

Topping the list of equipment upgrades, officials said, is a six-year, $12 million project to improve public safety communication with new radios and transmission capabilities.

Fire Marshal Jarod Zuniga said the fire department and the Eddy County sheriff’s office transitioned in September to new digital frequencies that replaced an outdated system installed in 2007.

“The upgraded system connects Eddy County’s radios and towers to the statewide Digital Trunked Radio System,” Zuniga said. “This partnership enhances radio coverage throughout the county, allowing units to communicate across the state and access additional radio towers in and around Eddy County.”

Zuniga said the new transmission and receiving equipment includes vehicle and handheld radios for Eddy County Fire and Rescue, the sheriff’s office and Eddy County Emergency Management.

In addition, he said, “Changes made over the past few years also allowed for additional radios to be donated to the city of Artesia, enabling Artesia Police and Fire to operate on the new frequencies when collaborating with the county.”

Mike Smith can be reached at 575-308-8734 or email at msmith@currentargus.com.