When we moved into the wildland urban interface in 2016, my husband and I decided to become resources who were trained to help when fire arrived. We joined our neighborhood VFD. Our commitment has grown as our individual roles evolved.
Appointed as the Pinos Altos Volunteer Fire and Rescue department’s public information officer, I handle the county entity’s Facebook page and have managed a web redesign project. I completed a public relations course for emergency departments with JGPR and implement the lessons learned regularly.
After participating in joint training exercises and prescribed burns with the Gila National Forest, I started hearing that I should open a federal taskbook and train officially as a public information officer. Completing the necessary classes in 2024, I joined the Gila/Las Cruces Region Type 3 team that took shape in 2025 and worked the Paradise and Trout fires in southwest New Mexico during my first season.
I still support Pinos Altos Volunteer Fire and Rescue as a volunteer firefighter, certified emergency medical responder, and public information officer. My husband serves as assistant chief, and our daughter is an honorary member who can’t wait to be old enough to become a junior firefighter.
Follow Pinos Altos Volunteer Fire and Rescue on Facebook here.