Just another day at work

link Joshua Lucero: Staff photo

Portales Fire Department firefighter Reylon Wimbish, far right, checks on the meat firefighters prepared Monday afternoon. Wimbish said firefighters who had to work the Labor Day shift took time to prepare a holiday dinner for their families.

Staff writer

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For many Portales residents, Labor Day is a day off to spend with friends and family.

For others, the holiday is just another day to earn money or provide a vital service to the community.

Portales firefighter and EMT Reylon Wimbish, 25, spent his Labor Day at the Portales Fire Department performing routine station clean-up, unit checks, and waiting for emergency calls.

“We’re here for people when they need it most,” said Wimbish, “When people need us, it’s their worst day.”

Wimbish said he likes being there for the community when they are in need but misses the time he could spend with his family.

His family and the families of the other working firefighters would stop by later during the shift to eat food they cooked during their down time.

“We try to get the families here to spend some time with us,” Wimbish said, “If we weren’t here (at work) we would all probably still be hanging out anyway with our families.”

For Portales Police Department’s Sgt. Eric Muller, keeping the community safe is a priority.

“All of us (police officers) would like to be with family,” said Muller, “but we became police officers and knew it (working holidays) was going to happen.”

Muller said he would spend his Labor Day shift like any other by performing patrols and responding to calls to ensure the safety of the community during the holiday.

Trader Horn’s True Value co-owner Megan Hamilton said she came to work Monday to provide a service to the community when other stores are closed.

Hamilton said the holiday is more relaxed than a regular work day, but busy nonetheless.

“I’d probably be working on my house, doing a do-it-yourself project or working on the yard if I wasn’t working today,” said Hamilton.

Hamilton said customers gave positive comments throughout the Labor Day holiday.

Dominos Pizza general manager James Baca said the holiday is just another work day for him.

Baca, who worked a 10-hour shift Monday, said he spent the day like he would any other Monday, prepping food for the week, taking orders, and making pizzas.

“One of the cons of working Labor Day is that you never know how busy it will be,” said Baca, 26.

Baca said the holiday can be tricky to prepare for because they never know how many people stayed in town to celebrate instead of traveling.

Dominos delivery driver Diana Medlin said she would rather be spending time with her children, but didn’t mind working the holiday.

Medlin said she takes other days off to spend time with family and treats Labor Day like just any other day.

Jaime Lucero, 23, said he has worked four Labor Day holidays in the past five years, and spent this one working as a cashier at Stripes on North Chicago Avenue.

“I don’t like it,” Lucero said of working the holiday, “I’d prefer to be at the lake with my family.”

Lucero said he worked Monday because he hadn’t requested it off and he likes the holiday pay he receives for his work.

“It means more money in my pocket,” said Lucero.