The Town of Las Cruces Volunteer Fire Department was established as early as 1907. The bucket brigade was the fighting force at this time. Not until July, 3 1912 when the fire chief of the Las Cruces Volunteer Fire Department, A.F. Katzenstein made the following report to the town trustees;

Mr. J. P. Mitchell and Council: "I have the pleasure of informing your honorable body that the fire hose has arrived as also the nozzles, and the cart, and the same is now being put together. I am now ready to fight the fires with water."

This was the first known mention of water delivery to a fire scene.

About two years later, a 1914 fire engine was purchased for the town, which improved the volunteer's capability to fight fires. The engine is presently owned by a private citizen, and is in excellent condition.

In 1912 an ordinance was established for the use of waterworks by the fire department. At this time, any person using water for irrigation or sprinkling during a fire, would be fined. Later, in 1913, authorization was given to the fire department to use fire plugs during a fire. By 1920, an ordinance was introduced and passed by the town council regulating traffic on the town streets in case of fire. The ordinance stated that the Las Cruces Volunteer Fire Department's members and apparatus were given the right-of-way during and returning from a fire. J.S. Ruiz was the fire chief at the time the ordinance was passed, and Arthur Ruiz was the secretary. In 1928, the town board appointed members of the Volunteer Fire Department as deputy marshals with authority to act during the tie of a fire alarm. Apparently, there was a problem with crowd control.

On February 27, 1930, the town was given its first insurance rating by the National Underwriters Board. The need for better fire protection became a reality, and J.S. Farmer, then town superintendent suggested the purchase of the town's first triple combination pumper and related equipment. In April of 1930, the town meeting opened on general discussion of the present fire protection. Mayor Lane stated that the present fire equipment was inadequate and that the fire engine now in use had been damaged in a fire that same afternoon. He requested the purchase of a 1930 American La France fire engine and equipment. The request was put up for bond election and passed. The engine was dedicated to the late J.D. Walker who had served as fire chief for several years.

Joe Camunez was reappointed as fire chief, which he served for several years. In 1946, Juan G. Apodaca was appointed secretary and treasurer to Don Martinez, assistant chief.

Twelve years later, on July 7, 1958, the Department of Public  Safety was created. At this time, a full-time, paid fire department was created with Juan G. Apodaca as fire chief. The Las Cruces Fire Department consisted of three full-time, and 25 volunteer firefighters. The Las Cruces Fire Department was then housed at the city hall building at the corner of Church and Organ Streets. In 1964, the Public Safety building was constructed, housing the Fire and Police Departments. Substations 2 and 3 were then constructed in 1968.

Station 4 was completed in August of 1987. The Fire Chief was John Toledo. The department consisted of 79 employees.

During the 1990's, in an effort to keep pace with the fire service's changing role in public safety, LCFD trained all members as Emergency Medical Technicians and created the special programs of Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting, Hazardous Materials Response, and Technical Rescue. Additionally, the department built Fire Station's 5 and 6 to protect Las Cruces' rapidly expanding eastside. The Fire Chief was Louis Roman from 1994 - 2001.

Adolf Zubia became the Fire Chief in 2001. The beginning of the new century brought a modernization of the apparatus fleet and the acquisition of new technologies. Thermal imagers were placed on every apparatus. A second ladder truck company was placed into service and the airport received a state-of-the art crash vehicle.

The Las Cruces Fire Department celebrates a "Century of Service" in 2007.  The department plans for two new fire stations and a multi-million dollar training facility.

circa 1950

circa 1960

circa 1970

circa 1980

circa 1990

Fleet 2005

Crash Truck 2007