Los Alamos Fire Department took their newest heavy rescue truck to Rio Chama in Rio Arriba County Wednesday to assist in the rescue of a dog stranded on a ledge inside a cliff. Technical Rescue Team members Capt. Manny Pacheco, Capt. Gerard Coriz, and Fighters Sam Meyersick and Aaron Williams joined Rio Arriba County Animal Control, Fire Marshall, Emergency Manager and Espanola Fire Department (EFD) firefighters in the successful operation.

“We got a call from Rio Arriba asking for assistance at a location off US 285 just off US 84 going toward Ojo Caliente,” Pacheco said. “We took our heavy rescue truck, which just went into service April 20.”

The heavy rescue truck is one of six units recently purchased by the Department of Energy and provided to LAFD through a cooperative agreement. It is used for rope rescue, heavy extrication rescue and confined space rescue as well as structural and trench collapse rescue.

“Many departments in the surrounding area don’t have the level of advanced rope rescue and technical rescue equipment that we have,” Pacheco said. “We were happy to be able to help out Rio Arriba County as they have helped us out in the past.”

Pacheco said two dogs had gotten loose while their owner was out of town and his brother was dog-sitting. Someone called EFD when they found one of the dogs, called Smiley, on a ledge 30 feet down and just above a 200-foot drop. He said Meyersick and Williams tied on, went down and immediately hooked a carabiner on Smiley’s collar to prevent him from dropping off the ledge.

“It took a while to calm the dog down because we believe it may have been on the ledge all night. So Meyersick gave him some snacks and warmed him up. Then they placed a harness on the dog and hoisted him up,” Pacheco said.

Pacheco was in charge of the incident and Coriz was the safety officer. He said sometimes people ask why fire departments put that level of response into rescuing an animal.

“It is very good practice for our department so that we are ready in the event that we ever need to rescue a child or an adult,” Pacheco said. “We recommend that people call us if an animal is stuck like that rather than attempting to rescue the animal themselves, which can become very dangerous.”

Teamwork saves standed dog: Los Alamos and Rio Arriba County Fire Departments worked together Wednesday to rescue a dog from a ledge inside a cliff in Rio Arriba County. Pictured, LAFD Firefighter Aaron Williams, LAFD Firefighter Sam Meyersick, LAFD Capt. Gerard Coriz, LAFD Capt. Manny Pacheco, EFD Firefighter Pablo Montoya, EFD Firefighter Alex Sisneros, Smiley’s dog-sitter, and Rio Arriba Animal Control Ofc. Cipi Maez. Courtesy/LAFD

LAPD’s new heavy rescue truck at the scene of a stranded dog rescue Wednesday in Rio Arriba County. Courtesy/LAFD