Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Editor’s note: This is one in a continuing series of interviews with local officials. Mike Nolen is the fire chief for the Clovis Fire Department.
Q: You sent a dozen personnel to help with the Ruidoso fires. What was their mission?
A: Their mission is to assist where possible. We had received a statewide request for help on the initial day of the fire (Monday). A crew of 12 Clovis Fire Department personnel staffing two structure trucks and an ambulance were sent out early Tuesday. As of Thursday morning, we sent an additional 10 fire and emergency services personnel to relieve a few of the original 12 crew members.
Q: Local firefighters are probably more experienced with grass fires and structure fires. Does a forest fire present challenges our grass fires would not?
A: Grass fire fuel loads are less dense, so they tend to be very wind-driven fires. Forest fires move slowly but will burn longer due to the density of the materials being burned.
Q: Talk about staffing levels at the Clovis Fire Department these days. Did you recently pick up some new recruits?
A: Currently at the Clovis Fire Department, we were able to hire 12 new recruits that will get us closer to full staffing. These 12 recruits are currently attending an in-house orientation/academy.
Q: It’s almost Independence Day. Any tips for safely celebrating with fireworks?
A: Never allow young children to handle fireworks. Older children should use them only under close adult supervision.
Never use fireworks while impaired by drugs or alcohol. Anyone using fireworks or standing nearby should wear protective eyewear.
Never hold lighted fireworks in your hands. Never light them indoors. Only use them away from people, houses and flammable material. Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
Only light one device at a time and maintain a safe distance after lighting. Never ignite devices in a container.
Do not try to re-light or handle malfunctioning fireworks. Soak both spent and unused fireworks in water for a few hours before discarding. Keep a bucket of water nearby to fully extinguish fireworks that don’t go off or in case of fire, and never use illegal fireworks.
Q: We’ve had some rain lately. Does it feel like conditions are safer than we’ve seen the past few summers in terms of grass fires?
A: While the rain has helped with fire danger right now, there is a possibility that at the end of summer the rains will slow and the vegetation will begin to dry out, causing an increase elevation of fire danger.
We would like to remind the public to maintain a defensible space around their property by keeping vegetation short.
— Compiled by Landry Sena, the Staff of the News
