Reprinted by Permission

Shane Shifflett is doing what he can to cut down on fire response time and protect lives in Vado, N.M.

Shifflett, a 31-year-old firefighter and emergency medical technician at White Sands Missile Range, is going door-to-door collecting signatures for a petition that might help Doña Ana County officials approve a fire station in the small community of nearly 2,000 people.

“I want to cut down on some response time when there is a fire and hopefully save a life,” Shifflett said. “There is a real need for a station.”

Many Vado residents were not aware that a station was needed, or that volunteers were trying to start one. Once they started to hear about the need, they have welcomed the help.

“Right now when any emergency happens in that area, they are depending on fire stations that have extended eta’s (estimated time of arrival),” said Bill Dempsey, a WSMR firefighter and another volunteer working to get the fire station in Vado.

Once a station is approved, Shifflett will still need to raise more than $300,000 for the building, equipment and engine tanker.

“I’m starting to apply for a federal grant,” Shifflett said. “Even if I get a grant, I’ll still need to raise funds.”

An engine tanker with a 2,000 gallon pump would cost around $230,000 and a two-bay building with co-ed living quarters could cost $61,000. Shifflett already has seven fire fighters willing to be volunteers at the station.

Shifflett said two primary concerns in the Vado area are hay fires and mobile home fires.

“There are property losses when a fire gets out of control,” Shifflett said. “Fires get out of control when the response time is slower than it could be.”

Currently, Vado is covered by volunteer fire departments from La Mesa, Chamberino and Mesquite.

Dempsey said once the fire station is up and running, they would like to have on-site paid personnel.

“That’s not a guarantee, but it’s what we are working for,” Dempsey said.

Fire and medical calls for the Mesquite station average about 450 a year, and volunteer firefighters must go from their homes to the station and then to the site of an emergency, which increases the time it takes to respond to a fire.

Shifflett hopes to get the signatures to the county commissioners before the end of the year.

For more information, or offer help or donations, contact Shifflett at (505) 635-6747 or Dempsey at (915) 539-8544.

Charlotte Tallman can be reached at ctallman@lcsun-news.com.

Copyright © 2003 Las Cruces Sun-News, a Gannett Co., Inc. newspaper. Reprinted by permission.