Arkansas search and rescue teams assist with New Mexico floods

Severe flash floods closed roads in Ruidoso, New Mexico, after storms dumped rain into the burn scar of the still burning South Fork and Salt fires. The National Weather Service is warning of continued flood risk the weekend beginning July 12, 2024. (Photo courtesy of City of Ruidoso)

Nearly 30 Arkansans from various fire departments and emergency teams across the state helped with search and rescue efforts in New Mexico, where deadly wildfires exacerbated the flood risk for communities.

Danny Akines, a training and logistics officer from the Pulaski County Office of Emergency Management, was one of those deployed to monitor Las Vegas, a town of about 13,000 near Sante Fe, and Ruidoso , a small mountain village about 200 miles south of Albuquerque.

From June 29 to July 13, Akines traveled with the Arkansas team back and forth from Las Vegas to Ruidoso monitoring potential flash floods and training for swift water rescue. Their skills were put to the test during two days of major flooding in Ruidoso where they rescued 21 people and three dogs, evacuated 14 people and reported 15 more who remained in place.

“We get called to go right around the corner, out of sight of where we’re at, and there’s a newborn baby and two women trapped in a car,” Akines recalled of his first water rescue. “They’ve been kind of washed sideways…and the current is taking them off.”

Over the two most intensive days of the two-week trip, the Arkansas team spent eight hours responding to assistance calls of people trapped in their homes or cars. The water, which traveled down a nearby mountain faster than anything Akines said he’s ever seen in Arkansas, carried logs, boulders and debris from homes destroyed in the wildfires.

“It goes fast, but that’s what we went for,” Akines said. “We hate that this type of event is happening to those people, but we’re there to help. We’re glad we’re there when it happens.”

FEMA trailers on their way to Ruidoso; at least 856 homes lost

No flood-related fatalities have been reported, though two people were reported dead from the wildfires that destroyed at least 850 houses in New Mexico, according to a report from Source NM . The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently approved the state’s request for temporary housing, which should provide relief for people who are couch surfing or staying in hotels.

“We’ve got them spread out,” Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford told Source NM. “We’re trying not to lose them forever, because we need them to work and live here.”

After the Arkansas rescue team safely made contact with people in need, they transported them to higher ground or to a shelter managed by the local community. Akines said local officials and community members expressed their appreciation throughout their presence in the area.

“We’re just glad that we’re able to help people,” Akines said. “Whether it’s here, there or wherever. All the guys are very professional, no matter where we go, and they’re very dedicated.”

The New Mexico project marked Akines’ third deployment with the Pulaski County Office of Emergency Management, where he has volunteered since 2009 and worked full time for two years. His other trips included providing aid in Texas and Florida as hurricanes threatened the states.

The Arkansas agencies footed the initial bills for the emergency deployment, though the state is expected to provide a reimbursement, Akines said. New Mexico officials will then reimburse the state of Arkansas for its services.

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