Volunteers, donors in Otero County pitch in during Ruidoso wildfire crisis

Wednesday and Thursday, a steady stream of vehicles pulled into the Buster Lane Memorial Parking Lot on the Otero County Fairgrounds in Alamogordo.

The vehicles came in all shapes and sizes, carrying all manner of items to help evacuees and first responders of the South Fork and Salt fires in the Ruidoso area that started Monday, June 17.

Volunteers loaded the items into trucks and trailers whose drivers would then transport the goods to Mescalero and other areas of support.

Otero County Commissioner Amy Barela was at the donation and loading site Thursday, June 20, and talked about the different needs.

“We’re collecting things for people who evacuated, as well as for firefighters,” Barela said.

Needs for the firefighters include things such as lip balm, sunblock, meatsticks, socks and powder.

Barela said needs for evacuees focused on the most vulnerable in the communities, children and seniors.

“At the Inn of the Mountain Gods, there are a lot of elderly people,” Barela said. “There’s a need for walkers and wheelchairs. And there is a need for lots and lots of baby formula, and diapers.”

She said the Mountain View Church in Alamogordo had taken in at least a dozen more evacuee families Thursday, bringing that total to about 25 families. Other evacuees were in Alamogordo, staying at hotels, private homes and other support groups.

Barela said there was also a need for pet food.

The campaign team of U.S. Senate candidate Nella Domenici came by with a truck, dropping off water and other supplies.

“We started in Roswell, and we’ve been delivering supplies, but also talking with the people to learn more about the needs and the problems,” Domenici said.

She also expressed concern going forward, and fire victims’ ability to receive assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in a timely manner. Domenici said many victims of the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire that hit northern New Mexico in 2022 have still not received expected benefits.

Domenici said she is working with New Mexico state legislators about creating a type of bridge fund using state reserves to front fire victims up to 80 percent of anticipated FEMA benefits, to be reimbursed later.

“That would get these people the money when they need it,” Domenici said. “These people have been waiting two years, and we don’t want to see that again.”

Domenici said she hopes such a bill could be introduced in a special section expected this summer. The special session is slated to open July 18 and focus on public safety.

Barela said volunteers would remain at the Otero County Fairgrounds through 1 p.m. Friday, June 21, and then will re-assess the needs, and likely could return over the weekend or next week. To learn more, call 575-491-7265.

This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: Volunteers, donors in Otero County pitch in during Ruidoso wildfire crisis