Rio Communities Fire Department pushes in new engine

RIO COMMUNITIES—The Rio Communities Fire Department celebrated the arrival of its new fire engine at Fire Station 1 on Friday.

To mark the event, members of the governing body and firefighters pushed the truck into the station. Rio Communities Fire Chief Andrew Tabet said this will only help them serve the community better.

“The importance of this is that this is the first type of fire truck this district has ever gotten,” Tabet said. “The pinnacle has always been a Pierce ... anyone in the field knows the reliability of it, and also the years of life you get in this type of truck is worth every penny.”

The new fire engine is a Pierce Saber, which will be named Engine 1. The truck has a tank capacity of 1,000 gallons of water and is able to house all the tools and equipment needed for emergency calls. Tabet said although the department has other apparatus in the fleet, Engine 1 will be one of the initial apparatus in the case of a structure fires, motor vehicle accidents and some medical calls.

The Rio Communities Fire Department purchased Engine 1 for $970,965 from a loan provided by New Mexico Finance Authority.

Tabet said when the department starting serving the public on a 24/7 basis last year, they needed more dependable equipment and apparatus.

“It was a long, drawn-out process, but we went to the city manager, the mayor and the city council and we successfully did this,” the chief said. “This marks a different era for Rio Communities. We are into our first year into our 24/7 coverage and we’re growing rapidly.”

The chief said their calls for service have doubled in the past year, and credits the crew for the commitment to the community as well as the success of the department.

“We enjoy the meaning of community,” he said. “What it means for us is, yes, we are the Rio Communities Fire Department, but when someone is having their worst day, it doesn’t matter what the truck says, it doesn’t matter what color it is, they want help. They need someone to make it right when it’s not right.”

Chief Tabet said the community and his district goes far beyond the confines of the city’s boundaries. It’s the largest municipal fire district in the county, covering 660 miles from Rio Communities to the Manzano Mountains and to the Socorro County line.

“A lot of times, you’ll see us in (Valencia) county, in Belen, in Los Lunas, in Isleta, in Socorro. Because that’s what community means to us,” he said. “Our city is very near and dear to our hearts, but our community is what we serve.

“For me, personally, this is a large achievement because when I got here, we didn’t think we were going to make it 60 days,” Tabet said, “and look at us now, and it’s largely due because the council and city manager understood that this is what needs to get done.”

As the city and department continues to grow, Tabet said they are making plans to move forward with partnerships throughout Valencia County.

Rio Communities Mayor Joshua Ramsell congratulated the department and thanked the fire chief, firefighters and emergency medical personnel for the work they do and what they do for the community.

“This station has come a long ways from five or six years ago,” Ramsell said. “Here we are with multiple new trucks, including this new engine. I know this is just another step on the path to providing services to our community and county. Our paid staff and volunteers deserve a truck as professional as they are.”

The ceremony ended with a truck push-in, which is a time-honored tradition dating back to the 17th century when firefighters would push their hand-drawn fire engines back into the firehouse after responding to a call.