Where do I get CPR classes?
- Call fire headquarters at (575) 528-3473 to schedule your class.

How do I get a copy of a fire investigation report?
- Call the fire prevention services at (575) 528-4150.

How do I get a burn permit?
- Stop by the closest station to where you are planning to burn for your free permit. Permits are issued on the day they will be used and are a 1 day permit only. Valid only within the city limits.

Do you get cats out of trees/telephone poles or off of roofs?
- No. It is best to allow the cat to come down on its own, generally when they get hungry.

Where can I go to get my blood pressure checked?
- Any fire station between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

How can I schedule a fire truck or a firefighter at my function?
- Call fire headquarters at (575) 528-3473 to schedule a fire truck for your function.

Why do so many apparatus respond to simple incidents?
- Fire Department units are dispatched according to information received by the 911 operator. Firefighters are prepared to deal with the worst that could happen. In emergency services we have learned that if we assume something is "simple" we can be horribly mistaken. Plus, we respond as fast as we can and try to be prepared for the worst. The winner in these situations will always be the citizen who needs help.

How come I see fire trucks with full lights and sirens go through a red light at intersections and then, after they go through, they turn off their lights and sirens and slow down?
- As explained in the previous answer, sometimes several units are dispatched to the same incident. The first unit may have arrived on scene, surveyed the situation and informed the dispatcher that the situation is under control. All other responding units could then be cancelled and put back in service to receive another call. Most likely when you see an emergency vehicle go lights and siren through a red light and then slow down and turn off the emergency lights, they have been cancelled from the call they were going on.

Why do I see firefighters cutting holes in the roof of a building on fire?
- This practice is called ventilation. There are 2 basic reasons for doing ventilation. Dangerous gasses and dark smoke accumulate in a burning building. Unlike the movie versions of fires, it is impossible for firefighters to see in such and environment. When a hole is made in the roof the smoke and gases escape because heat and smoke rise. It makes it much safer and easier for a firefighter to locate victims who could possibly be trapped by the fire.

- The second reason is that the smoke generated by a fire is essentially unburned fuel. Meaning that the tiny particles in the air are still flammable to a certain extent. If a room is not vented than the heat and smoke in a room can build up to such an extent that all of the smoke in a room will spontaneously ignite. This phenomenon is called "Flashover". Flashover is a major killer of firefighters and civilians in America today, so in an attempt to make a safer environment for our firefighters the heat and smoke from a fire is released through the practice of ventilation./

How can I become a firefighter?
Visit the Recruitment Page or call (575) 528-3473.