Fire

Luján Addresses 1st Year Anniversary Of Hermit’s Peak Fire

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U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján

U.S. SENATE News:

LAS VEGAS, N.M. — U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) issued the following statement today to mark the one-year anniversary of the Hermit’s Peak Fire.

“Today, New Mexico marks a solemn anniversary of the Hermit’s Peak Fire that upended the lives of far too many New Mexicans. From burning family homes, disrupting small businesses, and impacting our farmers and ranchers, this fire started by the federal government, and the flooding that followed, devastated the people of New Mexico and our way of life.

“As we reflect on this challenging time, it’s clear this Read More

Luján Joins USDA Secretary Vilsack, State And Local Leaders To Discuss Wildfire Recovery Discussion Ahead Of Hermit’s Peak Fire One-Year Anniversary

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U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján hosts discussion ahead of one-year anniversary of Hermit’s Peak Fire. Courtesy photo

STATE News:

LAS VEGAS, N.M. — Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) hosted U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack for a discussion ahead of the one-year anniversary of the Hermit’s Peak Fire. During the event, Senator Luján, Secretary Vilsack, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, and state and local leaders heard directly from impacted members of the community.

“It’s been one year since the devastating Hermit’s Peak Fire consumed thousands of acres of Read More

Heinrich Calls For Extension Of Federal Programs To Support Local Fire Departments, Cosponsors Fire Grants And Safety Act

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U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) is cosponsoring the bipartisan Fire Grants and Safety Act, legislation to extend federal programs that help support local fire departments in New Mexico and across the country.

The bill would reauthorize the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program, the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, and the United States Fire Administration (USFA) through 2030.

The programs are set to expire in the coming years and are used by local fire Read More

Devolder: Electrical Safety

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By MARK DEVOLDER
Los Alamos

When a house burns down and the exact cause cannot be determined, it is usually attributed to an electrical problem. There are a variety of older and newer homes in Los Alamos County, which are provided with lighting fixtures and lamps of various types. For example, some fixtures or lamps utilize 110-volt bulbs, and some fixtures or lamps utilize light-emitting diodes (LEDs).  With age and use, lighting fixtures and lamps can present some electrical safety problems.

Some time ago, I was changing out a bulb in a lighting fixture. I happened to look at the base of the 110-volt Read More

Los Alamos Fire Department Ramps Up Recruitment Efforts

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Scene of recruits on the job at the LAFD training facilty on DP Road. Photo by Louisa Martinez/LAFD

Recruits learn how to most efficiently douse a vehicle fire at the LAFD training facility on DP Road. Photo by Josh Sammons/LAFD

By CAROL A. CLARK
Los Alamos Daily Post
caclark@ladailypost.com

  • “It is not our trucks and equipment that make us great, it’s our people.” –Chief Troy Hughes

Under the leadership efforts of Los Alamos Deputy Fire Chief Wendy Servey and Division Chief (Training) Benjamin Stone and buy in from across the ranks, recruitment for the upcoming academy has surpassed 100 applicants.

Read More

LAPSA Hosts NMARNG Col. Pia Romero At March Meeting

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Cmdr. Daniel Roberts with other members of LAPSA presents a special coin to Col. Pia Romero of the New Mexico Army National Guard in appreciation of her presentation at the group’s March 16 meeting. Photo by Jenn Bartram

LAPSA News:

Col. Pia Romero, Director of Joint Staff for the New Mexico Army National Guard (NMARNG) was the guest speaker at the March 16 meeting of the Los Alamos Public Safety Association (LAPSA).

During Col. Romero’s presentation she discussed how Los Alamos can best utilize the New Mexico Army National Guard in emergencies, and discussed the process and capabilities of the Read More

LANL: Understanding Plants Can Boost Wildland-Fire Modeling In Uncertain Future

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How a fire burns and whether the vegetation survives or dies depend on how the live fuels — plants — use water and carbon. New research creates a framework for bringing those dynamics into wildland-fire models to more accurately predict wildfire and prescribed-burn behavior and resulting effects. Courtesy/LANL

LANL News:

A new conceptual framework for incorporating the way plants use carbon and water, or plant dynamics, into fine-scale computer models of wildland fire provides a critical first step toward improved global fire forecasting.

“Understanding the influences of vegetation Read More

Kirtland Air Force Base Concludes Prescribed Burn

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KAFB News:

KIRTLAND AFB – Kirtland Air Force Base concluded a prescribed burn that was conducted on Thursday.

Approximately 80 acres were successfully treated during Kirtland’s mitigation efforts. While active operations have ceased, smoke may continue to be visible through the early evening. The Kirtland Fire Department continued to monitor the areas throughout the night.

Fire crews began operations mid-morning and ended ignitions in the afternoon to allow for the most desirable ventilation and chose to divide treatment areas into smaller units to minimize smoke impacts. 

The Kirtland Read More

LAFD Offers Incentives In Race To Boost Recruit Numbers

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Recruits training in a previous Los Alamos Firefighter Academy. Los Alamos Fire Department officials are offering bonuses and incentives to attract firefighting and emergency medical services (EMS) applicants to fill the department’s anticipated vacancies over the next few years. The application deadline for the next academy is March 31. Courtesy/LAC

Recruits training in a previous Los Alamos Firefighter Academy. Courtesy/LAC

COUNTY News:

Amidst a nationwide shortage of firefighters, the Los Alamos Fire Department (LAFD) in New Mexico is seeking applicants to join their Read More

Los Alamos Firefighters Mark International Women’s Day

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In celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD), the following Los Alamos County firefighters gathered for a photo at Station 6 near the airport from left, Wendy Servey, Deputy Fire Chief (serving 17 years with LAFD); Jennifer Edmunds, Firefighter II/EMT-B (serving almost 1 year with LAFD); Joy Lopez, Firefighter II/EMT-I (retired, over 20 years with LAFD); Charlie Merow, Firefighter II/EMT-B (serving over 1 year with LAFD) and not pictured – Kelly Grace-Meyer, Captain/Paramedic (retired after 20 years with LAFD). IWD is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and Read More