Open letter to Sandoval County on La Madera Fire Department
Sandoval County Commissioners, State Fire Marshall: I have written before about the lack of respect and caring for our small area in the East Mountains, far away from the seat of power in Sandoval County. In the past, for example, Chief Masterson fired all 18 of our volunteers on his own, without any prior discussion. And here we are again.
The County has taken our Brush Truck #28 and, without even asking or discussing it with us, sent it to the West Coast, from which it may never return. Interestingly, the Tecolote Auxilliary helped to fund the purchase of this truck, and thus it would be a simple courtesy to discuss this before re-allocating it and dispatching it to California.
We are now without a wildland response vehicle in the district. Our volunteer fire department is supposed to be the backup to the Forest Service and a means to protect this community. They no longer have those means. Our wildland firefighters can no longer deploy with their biggest asset. The county chiefs obviously believe they can arbitrarily do what they want with our equipment, irrespective of the blood, sweat, and tears our community has put into our facility and vehicles. A very sad statement when you have 20 volunteers at your beck and call for 24/7. Our volunteers live to get up at 2 a.m. when the pager goes off to be at our side when needed, but the politics are killing them, and us.
This is yet another attempt by the county to demean our fire district and try to convince our volunteers to quit. This harassment by the county needs to stop. They can no longer continue as is. Unless we figure out a new path forward, decide to incorporate, or ask for some kind of conservatorship, the La Madera Volunteer Fire Department may well be stabbed in the back—again.
I am therefore opposing the micromanagement of the Sandoval Fire Chief, and I am hereby asking for redirecting the duties and authority of the County and its Fire
Chief. Based on all your previous actions, we know that Sandoval County is not deeply concerned about our small corner at the far reaches of the County. But we pay our taxes, and we are deeply offended by your actions. We have had very poor prior relations with Sandoval County, but that is a response to your actions, not something we have sought. Instead, we desire your careful and appropriate considerations, especially in this time of terrible financial uncertainty. Our 18 unpaid volunteers are about as fiscally responsible as it is possible to get, especially for the level of excellence we expect of our fire and health safety. Please show our LMVFD team the respect they deserve, not disrespect which affects all of us. The LMVFD is the heart of our community.
Dave Thompson