Rio Rancho Fire Rescue to Train on Cochiti Lake This March

Rio Rancho Fire & Rescue wrapped up a three-day coordinated boat-operator training exercise at Cochiti Lake last week, conducting on-water drills from March 11 through 13 at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-managed reservoir north of Bernalillo.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Albuquerque District issued a formal public notice ahead of the training, signaling the exercise had received official coordination at the federal level. RRFR also announced the training through its social media channels before the dates arrived.

Cochiti Lake, a 1,200-acre reservoir managed by the Corps and situated in southern Sandoval County near the Cochiti Pueblo, is not a typical training ground for a municipal fire department. RRFR's decision to use it for boat-operator certification reflects the department's need to maintain readiness on open water, which presents different hazards and response demands than structure fires or highway incidents in Rio Rancho proper.

The full scope of the exercise, including the number of vessels involved, how many personnel rotated through the training, and whether any areas of the lake were temporarily restricted to recreational users, was not detailed in the materials made available before publication. The Corps' public notice and RRFR's social media announcement both contained additional information that was not fully accessible at the time of this report.

Rio Rancho, as Sandoval County's largest city, has expanded its public safety capabilities significantly over the past decade, and waterborne rescue remains a specialized discipline that requires dedicated certification and practice. The Albuquerque District's involvement in coordinating the notice suggests the training followed standard federal procedures for activities conducted on Corps-managed waters.

RRFR has not yet responded to requests for comment on the training's objectives, daily schedule, or any public access advisories that may have been issued to boaters using Cochiti Lake during the exercise period.