Sandoval County EMS takes over Cuba area coverage after service ends
Sandoval County EMS took over Cuba-area coverage after Cuba EMS shut down Tuesday night, ending nearly 40 years of local response in a remote part of the county.
Sandoval County EMS stepped in to cover the Village of Cuba area after Cuba EMS went out of service at 8 p.m. Tuesday, ending nearly four decades of local emergency response in northern Sandoval County. Sandoval County became the primary provider for the area on Wednesday, with Rio Arriba County standing by under a mutual aid agreement when support is available.
The Sandoval County Commission approved the Cuba and northwest EMS transition on June 25, 2025, with vehicles transferred July 1 and billing and fiscal responsibilities moved to county staff. Sandoval County Fire & Rescue now backs the coverage through 8 fire districts, 20 stations and about 280 career and volunteer firefighters and paramedics, while the county’s Public Safety Emergency Communications Center handles all 911 and non-emergency calls for police, fire, medical and animal control.
Cuba's village and its main commerce corridor on US Highway 550 carry about 5,000 to 10,000 vehicles a day, according to Cuba Fire Rescue. Cuba Volunteer Fire Department began EMS service in 1997 and has handled about 200 EMS calls a year.
County officials had already been building northwest coverage before the switch. In November 2025, Sandoval County approved staffing for a new Northwest EMS station, adding 12 full-time positions immediately and authorizing up to 15 if outside funding was secured.
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