New Mexico Awards $1.6M to 30 Fire Departments, Bypassing Hidalgo County

New Mexico distributed $1.6 million in equipment grants to 30 fire departments across the state, with no Hidalgo County department among the recipients named in the announcement released by the Department of Finance and Administration.

The grants are designed to purchase high-priority protective gear for new hires, including self-contained breathing apparatuses, turnout coats and pants, helmets, face shields, safety goggles, and other specialized equipment. The funding flows from the state's Fire Protection Fund, which reinvests a 3% premium on insurance policies back into local fire departments each year.

"These grants go directly to the front lines," said State Fire Marshal Randy Varela. "Investing in local departments, especially those with limited resources, can enhance firefighter safety, provide better fire protection services to New Mexicans, and improve their Insurance Services Office (ISO) ratings."

The 30 recipient departments stretch from Farmington in the northwest to Sunland Park on the southern border, covering Bernalillo County, Las Cruces, Carlsbad, Clovis, Deming, Portales, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, Taos County, Socorro, and smaller departments such as Questa Fire and EMS, Columbus Volunteer Fire and EMS, Mesilla, and Logan. The closest recipient to Hidalgo County is Deming's department in Luna County, roughly 60 miles east of Lordsburg.

The announcement fits into a broader DFA workforce push that funded 190 new firefighter and EMS positions statewide in 2024. Rural and remote communities have historically faced extended response times, large coverage areas, and a shortage of first responders, problems the state has cited as justification for directing equipment dollars toward newer hires who may otherwise begin service without full gear.

ISO rating improvements tied to better equipment can carry a direct financial consequence for property owners: higher-rated departments tend to lower homeowners insurance premiums for residents in their coverage zones.

The $1.6 million equipment package is separate from a larger FY26 Fire Protection Grant program through which the State Fire Marshal's Office awarded more than $22 million to 69 departments statewide. That broader round funded fire engines, radios, water systems, station improvements, and stipends to help volunteer departments recruit and retain firefighters. The Fire Grant Council, made up of seasoned firefighters from across New Mexico, reviews and ranks applications annually to distribute funding based on community need.

Whether any Hidalgo County department applied for the equipment grants and was passed over, or did not apply, has not been confirmed by DFA or DHSEM. The full FY26 Fire Protection Grant recipient list is published on the State Fire Marshal's Office website, where the complete accounting of both award rounds is available.