Rio Fernando Volunteer Fire Department

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Fire and Departmental News

This Page Provides Local Fire and EMS News and Information
For Regional Fire & Rescue Information See Links At Bottom Of Page



 

 

 




 

 

Click here for info on
How To Prepare for a Wildfire

 







Good times at our Open House Picnic on Sunday, July 14th.
Raffle, Food and Firefighter Water Polo.
Thank you all for your support.
7/13/2024 - Saturday evening RFFD and Kit Carson Electric responded to a report of an electrical smoke smell near mile marker 264.
We checked all the nearby transformers, power poles and lines and did not find the source of the smell.
7/12/2024 - Friday afternoon RFFD and Forest Service firefighters responded to a small lightning-strike wildland fire on the ridge north of Baca Canyon.
It was quickly contained.
7/4/2024 - Thursday evening RFFD was requested to cover the east side of Taos while Taos FD was putting on the fireworks show.
after the show ended, we were paged to a back yard on fire and as we were finishing up that call we were paged to another yard/field fire.

 
Happy Independence Day!

From the Valle Escondido Parade.
6/30/2024 - Sunday afternoon RFFD, AFFD ambulance, Taos County ambulance and a Sheriff's Deputy responded to a medical emergency near mile marker 271-1/4.
6/29/2024 - Saturday morning RFFD responded to a tree on the highway by mile marker 261-1/2.
Tuesday evening's training (6/25/2024)
drafting at a pond with a dry hydrant
6/21/2024 - Friday afternoon RFFD responded to a couple of dogs that were locked in a vehicle.
6/18/2024 - Tuesday night RFFD, County Sheriff's Deputies and a wrecker responded to a single vehicle accident near mile marker 272.
6/14/2024 - Friday afternoon RFFD was dispatched to a report of smoke east of Shady Brook. It was mist/fog (a.k.a. "waterdogs") from the rain.
Tuesday evening's training (6/11/2024)
drafting with the big truck
6/3/2024 - Monday morning RFFD was dispatched to an unattended campfire on FS Rd. 437 - it was on the Talpa side and not in RFFD's response area. Taos FD and USFS responded and took care of it.
Tuesday evening's training (5/28/2024)
drafting and portable pumps
5/20/2024 - early Monday RFFD and H-S FD responded for mutual-aid for Taos FD to a fire southwest of town.
5/2/2024 - Wednesday evening RFFD responded to a vehicle crash.
4/26/2024 - Friday midday RFFD responded to a water leak at a residence.
4/19/2024 - Friday morning RFFD and Taos County Ambulance responded to a medical emergency.

A few pictures from last weekend's Enchanted Circle Regional Fire Association's Basic Wildland Firefighter Training.
There are 14 newly trained firefighters from 8 different area fire departments.
RFFD personnel assisted.

4/9/2024 - Tuesday evening RFFD responded to an accident involving an elk and a vehicle near mile marker 258 3/4.
4/4/2024 - Thursday afternoon RFFD was requested to check a house for carbon monoxide.
3/31/2024 - Sunday afternoon RFFD responded to a tree down on the road near the bypass.
3/25/2024 - Monday morning RFFD responded to a single vehicle crash near mile marker 264.
3/15/2024 - Friday morning RFFD and Taos County Ambulance responded to a medical emergency.
3/11/2024 - early Monday morning RFFD responded to a report of smoke in a house. We found a smoldering bag of ashes on the front porch.
2/27/2024 - Tuesday evening RFFD responded to a single vehicle crash near mile marker 272. It was on the Colfax County side of the pass.
2/27/2024 - Tuesday morning RFFD responded to a report of a tree on the roadway near mile marker 262. Nothing was found.
2/26/2024 - Monday afternoon RFFD responded to a report of a tree on the roadway near mile marker 262. RFFD cleared the highway of debris.
2/12/2024 - Monday night RFFD and Taos County Ambulance responded to a medical emergency.
2/8/2024 - Thursday morning RFFD, Taos County Sheriff's Deputies and Ambulance and wreckers responded to a single vehicle crash near mile marker 262.
2/5/2024 - Monday evening RFFD and Taos County Ambulance responded to a medical emergency.
2/3/2024 - Saturday evening Moreno Valley requested our assistance with traffic control. There was a jack-knifed semi blocking the road on the Colfax County side of the pass.
2/2/2024 - Friday night while returning to the station from the medical call we came upon 2 stuck vehicles and stopped to see if we could assist. Wreckers were called for both of them.
2/2/2024 - Friday evening RFFD and Taos County Ambulance responded to a medical emergency.
1/26/2024 - Friday evening RFFD and Taos County Ambulance were dispatched to a person that fell in their home.
1/23/2024 - Tuesday afternoon RFFD was dispatched to a report of a rock in the road by Shady Brook. We patrolled the area and found no rocks in the road.
1/22/2024 - Monday morning RFFD, Taos County Sheriff's Deputies and a wrecker responded to a single vehicle crash near mile marker 260.
1/12/2024 - Friday morning RFFD responded to a house fire near mile marker 263. Thank you to all the agencies that provided Mutual-Aid assistance!
(also responding were Taos FD, Taos County Fire, EMS, Sheriff's Deputies, Angel Fire FD, Hondo-Seco FD, Carson FD and Tres Piedras FD)
1/11/2024 - Thursday night RFFD and a Taos County Sheriff's Deputy and a wrecker responded to a single vehicle accident near mile marker 261-1/2.
12/31/2023 - Sunday afternoon RFFD and Taos County Sheriff's Deputies responded to a single vehicle accident near mile marker 263.
12/20/2023 - Wednesday evening RFFD, Taos County Sheriff's Deputies and 2 wreckers responded to a 2-vehicle crash near mile marker 262-1/2.
12/14/2023 - Thursday morning RFFD, a Taos County Sheriff's Deputy and 2 wreckers responded to a 2-vehicle crash near mile marker 266-3/4.
12/1/2023 - Friday morning RFFD, Taos County Sheriff's Deputies and a wrecker responded to a single vehicle crash near mile marker 260-1/4.
11/25/2023 - Saturday morning RFFD, Taos County Ambulance, Sheriff's Deputies, Taos FD and a wrecker responded to a single vehicle crash near mile marker 258.
11/16/2023 - Thursday afternoon RFFD was dispatched to a report of smoke in the area of Shadow Mountain Road. We patrolled the canyon and Shadow Mountain Road and spoke with a couple of people in the area and determined that it was smoke that had drifted in from the Alamosa prescribed fire over by El Rito/Vallecitos.
11/6/2023 - Monday evening RFFD, Taos County Sheriff's Deputies and ambulance responded to a single vehicle crash near mile marker 258.5.
11/4/2023 - midday Saturday RFFD and Taos County Sheriff's Deputies responded to a single vehicle crash near mile 263.5.
10/27/2023 - Friday afternoon RFFD was requested for mutual-aid, along with 6 other area departments, to assist at a structure fire in Arroyo Hondo that has spread into the field.
click here for the Taos News article
10/23/2023 - very early Monday RFFD was requested for mutual-aid for a structure fire in town. We were canceled before arriving on scene.
A couple of pictures of training with the engine.
Tuesday, 10/10/2023
10/5/2023 - Thursday morning RFFD was dispatched to a report of smoke between mile markers 257 and 258. It was from a campfire.
10/5/2023 - early Thursday morning RFFD and Taos County Ambulance responded to a medical emergency.
10/4/2023 - Wednesday afternoon RFFD was dispatched to a small fire near mile marker 263. It was a permitted burn and all was OK.
FYI: There is a very small (1/10 acre) lightning strike fire north of mile marker 265. It is on Forest Service property and the FS folks are working on it.
Fire behavior is minimal and spread potential is low.
Monday, 9-25-2023

Structure Firefighting Mini-Academy - September 15 - 17, 2023
19 newly trained structure firefighters from 11 different fire departments in the Enchanted Circle area





 

9/8/2023 - Friday evening RFFD, Taos County Ambulance and a Sheriff's Deputy were dispatched to a crash in the Valle Escondido area.
There was no crash, it was a fall detection system in a phone that was dropped.
9/8/2023 - Friday afternoon RFFD was requested for logistical support to take a large water tank to a wildland fire south of Penasco.
 
8/27/2023 - Sunday evening RFFD was dispatched to a report of a campfire at the Devisadero Trailhead. We patrolled the area and did not find a campfire.
(There are no fire restrictions - campfires are allowed.)
8/24/2023 - Thursday evening RFFD responded to a report of smoke near the Valle Escondido area. It was just low clouds known as "waterdogs."
This is a common weather phenomenon of pockets of mist or fog that collects in the mountains after wet thunderstorms.
8/24/2023 - Thursday evening RFFD responded to a report of smoke near mile markers 257 - 259 on Highway 64 East. It was just low clouds known as "waterdogs."
This is a common weather phenomenon of pockets of mist or fog that collects in the mountains after wet thunderstorms.
8/24/2023 - Thursday afternoon RFFD and Questa Ambulance responded to a medical emergency.
8/23/2023 - Wednesday night RFFD and Taos County Ambulance responded to a medical emergency.
Today (8/22/2023) the Red River Fire Chasers Hand Crew joined the other crews working on the Madison fire.
More good work by everyone on the fireline and mopping up.
By the time we left for the night there was no smoke showing.
Tomorrow (8/23/2023) about half the number of personnel will be needed on the fire.




Lots of good work on the "Madison" fire today (8/21/2023). The crews got hand line put in around the fire and started on mop-up.
Personnel from RFFD, Taos Pueblo Snowballs, Angel Fire FD, Johnson County KS FD and Madison ID FD worked the fire.
The fire is contained at 2.5 acres.
There is a small wildland fire in our canyon, south of mile marker 264.5
This afternoon (8/20/2023) three Forest Service firefighters were on scene and more will be arriving tomorrow (8/21/2023)
A helicopter has been requested to assist, so expect to see it flying back and forth.
RFFD will be assisting with water supply.

 
Good times at Touch-A-Truck on Saturday, 8/19/2023
8/17/2023 - Thursday night RFFD, Taos County Ambulance, Sheriff's Deputies and a wrecker responded to a single vehicle crash near mile marker 257.75.
8/13/2023 - Sunday evening RFFD was dispatched to a large bonfire. It was a campfire, which is allowed. All was OK.
8/11/2023 - Thursday evening RFFD was dispatched to a campfire at Las Petacas Campground. There were campers there sitting around the campfire and all was OK.
Campfires are allowed in the campgrounds.
Tuesday evening PPE training
"2-minute drills"
8/6/2023 - Sunday evening RFFD and Taos County Ambulance responded to a medical emergency.
7/27/2023 - Thursday afternoon RFFD was requested to assist with traffic control near mile marker 272. We were canceled.
Hose and Pump Tests 2023 = done!
Tuesday, 7/25/2023
7/21/2023 - Friday night RFFD was dispatched to a fire in Ranchos because Taos FD was busy at another fire. A County Sheriff's Deputy searched the area before RFFD arrived and did not find any fire. RFFD was canceled.
7/18/2023 - Tuesday afternoon RFFD and Taos County Ambulance responded to a medical emergency up Devisadero Loop Trail.

Please  hike early in the morning before the heat of the day, take more water than you think you need and if hiking with a dog take water and a bowl for them too.


Our new sign.
Thank you Kelly and Barney at Meyer's Steel!


 

Summary of Annual Department Activity
2022 = 64 Emergency responses
  2023 = 59 Emergency responses
2020 = 55 Emergency responses
2021 = 54 Emergency responses
2018 = 73 Emergency responses
2019 = 72 Emergency responses
2016 = 62 Emergency responses
2017 = 62 Emergency responses
2014 = 69 Emergency responses
2015 = 47 Emergency responses
2012 = 63 Emergency responses
2013 = 79 Emergency responses
2010 = 74 emergency responses
2011 = 63 emergency responses
2008 = 89 emergency responses
2009 = 69 emergency responses
2006 = 87 emergency responses
2007 = 71 emergency responses
2004 = 76 emergency responses
2005 = 68 emergency responses
2002 = 67 emergency responses
2003 = 69 emergency responses
2000 = 41 emergency responses
2001 = 35 emergency responses

Volunteers put in many hours training, inspecting and maintaining equipment, maintaining personal gear, maintaining buildings and grounds, fundraising, and clerical duties.

If you have a department or community related item for the News page, send it to rffd@rffd.org. Please include your phone number.

Regional Fire & Rescue Information

New Mexico Fire Restrictions
Carson National Forest Current Fire Restrictions

Enchanted Circle Fire & Rescue Information

Enchanted Circle EMS Information Web Site
Enchanted Circle Regional Fire Protection Association Web Site
Moreno Valley Volunteer Fire Department Web Site
Red River Fire Department Web Site
Taos Search and Rescue Web Site

Taos Canyon Neighborhood Association

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