New Mexico strike team returns after fighting LA wildfires
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M – The New Mexico strike team of firefighters are back in the Land of Enchantment after a southern California deployment.
“During the 18 days that we were there we were tasked with structural prep, triaging, preventing any fire from coming any closer to any of the structures,” said Nathan Miller, a wildlife superintendent of Santa Fe Fire Department.
The team of 25 firefighters from New Mexico collaborated with Cal fire. Working 24 hour shifts was made a touch easier by coming face-to-face with people they were protecting.
“We are also asked to engage with the community, they obviously just went through devastating times, and they wanted us to be there to help them out, give them a lending hand. Even give them a bottle of water, Gatorade, give them some snacks or something, be there to console them and talk to them,” said Miller.
Miller says it’s a devastation New Mexicans know all too well.
“Good opportunity to get out there and conduct with the public and be there to console them and help them out,” Miller said.
Now that they are home, it’s time to take the leadership development and extra training and see how it can be applied here.
“Unfortunately, fire season is not a dedicated time frame like we used to think it was. Pretty much from March, April to June right before the monsoon would come. The state of New Mexico is pretty much in a year round fire season nowadays,” said Miller.