News & Events

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CURRENT DEPLOYMENT LEVEL: 1 – Normal Services provided

Call 505-600-3068 (24/7), REQUEST ASSISTANCE or leave us A MESSAGE.
If this is an emergency, you must dial 9-1-1

Get Ready
Monday, November 11 2024

It’s official: The 2025 Bataan Memorial March will be held on March 22. 2025. Pecos Valley Public Services provided support for the event this year, next year we want to march it. As a team. We are conducting several trainings until than, so we know what we’re getting ourselves into. All training will be done at the Bitter Lake WFR (thanks to the support of the officers and managers) and we will provide energy drinks, fruit, water and a vehicle for those who want to call it a day prematurely. The distance is 14.2 miles (we are doing the honorary loop) . If you want to join us, you are more than welcome. But hurry – training starts soon and you don’t want to miss a single training session.

Contact us for details.

Standing Down
Sunday, October 27 2024

This has been a tough week. What started as a rain event became a disaster that required all hands on deck. We are still somewhat shocked seeing the impact of this storm and the flooding. While we were providing services at the shelter, we heard heartbreaking stories, folks who lost everything. Some of them may even lose their jobs as it is hard to manage life in a shelter with the demands of a regular job. What do we tell them? How can we help them? Though we tried our best to lighten the load and help with immediate needs, we are limited at what we can provide or how we can help. Long time support must come from somewhere else. So please – continue to support our neighbors. This disaster has not been resolved just because our streets are clean again. For now, we are standing relieved from our ongoing support at the shelter and are returning to regular operations. Let us know if we can help.

Roswell Flood
Wednesday, October 23 2024

Our commitment to the community is unwavering. Yes – we are tired and our resources are stretched thin. But compare this to the situation so many of our neighbors are stuck with? Over the last days, we provided medical support to countless individuals, we provided aid & comfort to the victim of a structure fire, we had to call up additional resources to search for an individual with possible medical problems who wandered of the shelter. We helped with the distribution of food, we listened to many, many of those heartbreaking stories. And the phone keeps ringing. At least now the city is providing transportation to those who want to get to the shelter to pick up supplies, take a shower or even stay a night or two – just to relax a little. Call (575) 629 6700 and the city will pick you up – free of charge. So – we keep going. We are #roswellstrong .

Roswell Flood
Monday, October 21 2024

As we continue to provide medical care to our neighbors displaced by the flood, we can’t help but reflect on that Saturday night. The roar of the rushing water, the swirling currents sweeping through city streets, desperate people stranded on foot and trapped in partially submerged vehicles. Our own agency vehicles creating wakes as they sped to the next rescue—it all feels almost surreal. We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the first responders—police, mounted patrol, deputies, firefighters, and EMTs—who braved the storm with the mindset of “not on my watch.” To each and every one of you who answered the call: We saw you. Thank you. #RoswellStrong

Roswell Flood
Saturday, October 19 2024

Our volunteers were placed on standby around 8 PM on Saturday and were deployed into the city by 9 PM. Until approximately 2 AM, we assisted in rescuing multiple individuals from flooded vehicles and towed several cars from submerged roads. The storm was somewhat unexpected, as radar initially indicated that the severe weather would bypass us to the west and east. When the first rain began, it seemed manageable, but conditions escalated quickly as torrents of water flooded city streets. Unfortunately, we couldn’t retrieve our truck from its parking spot due to excessive mud, but our 4x4s and UTV handled the conditions well. One of the challenges we faced was that many modern vehicles have towing attachments located underneath, requiring our volunteers to wade deep into the water to secure the tow straps—an experience we hope not to repeat. As of Sunday morning, at the request of the American Red Cross, we are providing standby medical services for flood evacuees at the ENMSF shelter. We will continue on Monday as well. Here’s a map of the flooded areas in our city. Please – be safe.

Thank You BougeRV
Friday, October 18 2024

Our support truck often remains on standby or at a scene for hours. To minimize fuel consumption and emissions, we’ve already separated the truck’s engine batteries and added a 250 Ah lithium battery, allowing us to operate lights and equipment without running the engine or a generator. However, this battery only lasts so long, which led us to explore adding solar panels. While the panels are costly, we reached out to BougeRV, a leading manufacturer of RV solar technology, and they generously agreed to sponsor the panels for our truck. We’re incredibly grateful—thank you! We will mount those panels as soon as possible. So, the next time you see our truck parked, feel free to ask about our new solar-powered setup! And – you might also want to take a look at BougeRVs impressive product line up. They’re cool folks. Go – check them out.

Walk For Hope
Saturday, October 12 2024

Walk for Hope is the major fundraiser for the Chaves County Cancer Fund. The funds raised stay in Chaves County to help Chaves County residents battling cancer. It is the one night when cancer Survivors, their families and Support Team and their community come together to celebrate life. We laugh, we cry, we sing, we eat, we remember … in short, we celebrate the preciousness of life and punctuate our intention to live life to the hilt. Pecos Valley Public Services was proud to provide medical support for this great event. Please consider donating to this organization. Help them to help others in need.

About Us – Podcast
Wednesday, October 9 2024

And now to something completely different. Do you like podcasts? If so, this is for you. It is a 9 minute “deep dive” into Pecos Valley Public Services – what we do, why we do it and how it all started. If y’all like it, we may produce more (and than .. real podcasts) about things we learned, loved and .. well .. anyway – Enjoy

2024 Eastern NM State Fair
Sunday, October 6 2024

Our dedicated team of volunteers went above and beyond, contributing 135 hours of service during the 2024 ENMSF. We were proud to be there, providing support at the animal shows, livestock auction, senior events, kids’ fair, and, of course, supporting the availability of EMS during the evening hours while our community enjoyed the carnival. Thanks to the vigilance of the Roswell Police Department, Chaves County Sheriff’s Department, Roswell Fire Department, Dexter EMS and AMR, the event ran smoothly without any major incidents. Our volunteers were treated to delicious snacks, meals, and drinks courtesy of ENMSF and local vendors, while the beautiful weather added to the festivities. Now, we can take a moment to relax, clean and repair equipment, and prepare for whatever comes next. A heartfelt thank you to all the volunteers, ENMSF personnel, and first responders for making this fair both safe and enjoyable.

EMS
Thursday, September 26 2024

We began as a dedicated Search & Rescue organization—volunteers equipped with professional-grade tools and training. Over time, we expanded our mission to serve the community and quickly recognized the immense need for help right here at home. In response, we shifted our focus, offering aid, comfort, first aid, and other vital services to our neighbors.

However, even these efforts didn’t feel like enough. We encouraged our volunteers to pursue medical training and education, realizing that our evolving mission required formal recognition. So, we stepped away from Search & Rescue and directed all our energy toward supporting our community. This led us to pursue the goal of becoming a state-licensed EMS agency.

Today, we are proud to announce that we are officially recognized as a State of New Mexico Emergency Medical Service (EMS). Thank you to our incredible volunteers for your unwavering dedication, even through the challenging moments. We couldn’t have done it without you! More..

Meet “the dude”
Wednesday, September 11 2024

This is “dude” – the dummy. It has been constructed from a defunct (more or less) life size CPR mannequin and a used diving suit, than filled with about 140 lbs of gravel.

The dude lives in our office and is being used to simulate rescue operations. Now – 140lbs doesn’t sound too heavy. But if you have to rope him up and carry him on a stretcher for a mile or two, you get the idea of weight. Especially if you also have to carry your backpack. The dude had to endure a variety of rescues and is holding up very well. This dummy is just one of the tools we use to train and improve our skills.

Advanced Wilderness Life Support
Monday, September 09 2024

This is an interesting program for anybody interested in Search & Rescue or Wilderness medicine. It’s not really a universal associates degree, but it offers a lot of insight into the special challenges out in our deserts and forests. Give it a look. The “Associate in Wilderness Medicine” is a certificate program established by the University of Utah School of Medicine to bring students to a high level of knowledge and competency in wilderness medicine. When completed, students will have a very broad and deep understanding of critical subjects in wilderness medicine. This will allow them to practice and teach others to stay safe and healthy as they explore this beautiful world. This certificate is recognized internationally as a prestigious certificate granted by a trusted medical school.

It’s Alive …
Wednesday, August 7th 2024

Introducing our new, free service: FindMe. Before you venture into the wilderness, register with us, and we send help if you encounter any trouble. Even without cell coverage, with dead batteries, or a broken phone, we’ve got you covered. How does it work? Simply mark your location on a map before you leave. If you don’t return by a specified time, we’ll be alerted and take the necessary actions to help you. Perfect for hunters, bikers, hikers, fishermen, and anyone who enjoys the great outdoors. Don’t rely solely on your phone—add an extra layer of protection with FindMe, completely free and with no strings attached. There’s no tracking or invasive monitoring. You can activate or deactivate our service anytime by sending a text or visiting our website. Bookmark the link to our FindMe service and get started today.

County 4-H and FFA fair
Sunday, July 14th 2024

What a fantastic yet challenging week! From Monday to Friday, we provided services at the Chaves County 4-H and FFA fair, and also sent out volunteers to assist with the regular Thursday “Food Not Bombs” setup. We met many wonderful people, tended to a few “boo-boos,” made new friends, and had a great time. The kids did an outstanding job with their animals and during the rodeo—congratulations to everyone for their hard work and dedication. The folks at the fair were very welcoming and supportive. We had all our equipment and vehicles parked and set up smoothly, and all our volunteers pitched in to help. Thank you for your help. Now, it’s time for us to take a breather. More images >>>>

Keep Equipment Maintained
Sunday, July 14th 2024

We pride ourselves to be ready to assist our community within an hour or less. As such we have to constantly check our vehicles, provide maintenance, keep batteries charged and gas tanks filled. This weekend, we concentrated on our Polaris Ranger. We will get our skid soon, also a light bar and flashers. A quick wash and lube. One of the rear tires lost pressure. We have to keep an eye on that. But the 6×6 is in good condition and ready to go out on a moments notice. You should see this machine in action. It’s awesome and it gets you almost anywhere.

Continuing The Support of The Community
Thursday, July 11th 2024

We shifted our support to Thursdays as this is the day “Food Not Bombs” Roswell provides their services to the community at Pioneer Plaza. They are a local all volunteer food rescue organization. A lot of food gets thrown away because it is left-over or close to the expiration date. These volunteers “rescue” the food and provided it to those who are in need or simply hungry. We made a lot of new friends and had a great time. Thank you for your work “Food Not Bombs” – your work is noticed and appreciated.

Happy Birthday America
Thursday, July 4th 2024

The HOME (Homeless Outreach Engagement) ended for now. We made a difference for many folks. But without additional funding, most of the participating agencies had to stop providing services. However -Pecos Valley Public Services is going to continue to provide aid and comfort to our clients at the regular schedule each Wednesday starting at 5:30pm.

We also request your help: Our Ruidoso Fire evacuee engagement drained a lot of our resources. Please check our AMAZON wishlist for small items you can donate to us . It would mean a great deal and help us a lot. Thank you.

A Better way to provide services
Monday, July 1st 2024

Our “ERT” (Emergency Response Vehicle) is often used to provide stand-by services during sporting events, homeless support or, recently, to provide services to the Ruidoso fire evacuees. We running fans, lights, a small fridge, charging stations and an Internet hot-spot. But that doesn’t work well with the lead-acid truck batteries. So we had to idle the truck most of the times. With the modifications made (including a 280Ah LiFePo4) we are now able to provide services for up to two days without the help of the truck’s engine. Next step: Add a solar panel.

Back To Normal – But Not Quite
Thursday, June 27th 2024

While the shelters in Roswell are mostly empty now, a lot of folks from Ruidoso have nothing to return to. Others are thinking about moving away. We stood down on Tuesday and are now busy repairing, re-stocking and cleaning. Though our resources have been severely depleted, we continue to provide services to our community – including our unhoused clients – like we did on Wednesday evening. Our Emergency Response Truck got fixed up thanks to the help from Javi Villalobos and his team who professionally repaired the blown power steering line and donated his time. Such a great community to live in. Thank you all.

Ruidoso Fire: Community support
Wednesday, June 19th 2024

UPDATE: Tuesday, June 25th , 3:51pm

After a final check of our shelters, we are officially standing down from operations. Over the last 8 days, we visited and monitored numerous shelters and locations, gaining valuable insights and witnessing many things – great and not so great. We are currently compiling a report, which will be released on our website. For now, we focus on cleaning, washing, repairing, restocking, and, importantly, sleeping. It has been an honor to serve alongside the incredible volunteers who donated, assisted, and supported the shelter operations. Many businesses and organizations also showed great kindness to both evacuees and volunteers. Thank you. Good luck to all Ruidosians. We were proud to provide aid and comfort to our neighbors “on the mountain.” Pecos Valley is standing down.

UPDATE: Monday, June 24th , 8:28pm

We’re standing down from Level III (full deployment) to level II (on call, part deployment).

In other words, most volunteers are relieved and can go back to normal. Our medical team will reduce the shelter visits to once a day, but we are still ready to deploy more volunteers if needed. Most evacuees have chosen to go home, but a few remain in the shelters. We will of course continue to provide services to them as needed. As a side note, our ERV truck has another problem – this time with its hydraulic (power steering pump). Good thing it worked all the way through the deployment. We put almost 200 Miles on it. Now we have to quickly find a shop to take care of this.

UPDATE: Sunday, June 23th , 08:10pm

Another long day. But the emotions are mostly positive. “We can go home” we hear all around. Some of the evacuees have lost everything, but friendships have been forged and help has been pledged. We too made a lot of friends (with people and animals) and are looking forward to meet them all again soon.

We were also very happy to see our friends from the Roswell Community Disaster Relief agency who provided breakfast and dinner. Thank you to all who are volunteering and donating. You rock!

UPDATE: Saturday, June 22th , 16:02pm

And just like that, we hat to perform outdoor emergency surgery – on one of our response vehicles. We relied heavily on this truck but it wouldn’t start anymore. The batteries completely dead. Thankfully one of our mechanics found the problem fast – an auxiliary battery was dead as a brick. Problem: Those batteries are hard to find. We phoned around in town and thankfully, NAPA had one (and only one) in stock. $250 bucks. Yikes! Maybe want to help offsetting the costs? We appreciate your donation.

UPDATE: Saturday, June 22th , 13:08pm

We have been visiting several shelters again and responded to a few requests for checkups. Overall, the shelter operations are running smoothly. Everyone is excited about the prospect of going home on Monday, although some are not quite ready yet. Individuals with medical conditions are especially wary due to potential pollutants in the air or water supply. Depending on the situation on Monday, we may downgrade from our level III patrols to level II, providing “on call” services to the shelters. However, this will depend on how many evacuees choose to return home or stay at the shelters. Despite running low on medical supplies, we will continue to provide services as long as necessary.

We also visited two animal evacuees at the fairground shelter. Many dogs were evacuated to this location, but these two stood out. They seem unfazed by the current events and are happily munching on the hay provided to them.

UPDATE: Friday, June 21th , 17:08pm

We are now at the 5th day of deployment and it shows. We are slowly running out of supplies, we are out of uniforms (they need a wash) and our families are getting grumpy. Even the cots in the shelter start to look inviting. But the evacuees continue to rely on our help. They had hoped for better news from the community event yesterday. We went to the Red Cross shelter to get guidance because a patient required a prescription medicine, but they don’t provide any services to evacuees who are not in one of their managed shelters. They didn’t even provide directions to other possible solutions. But the friendly folks at Casa helped out and we were able to put the gentleman in touch with the right resources.

We deployed to the Fairgrounds shelter and had resources at the convention center. We also visited the The Gonzales HOPE Center . They too are doing a great job accepting, managing and distributing donations.

We will continue to provide assistance to all facilities working with or for the evacuees. Please call our number 505-600-3068 (24/7) or dial 2-1-1 for assistance.

UPDATE: Thursday, June 20th , 17:27pm

Another long day. The Red Cross took over the ENMUR shelter relieving us from our responsibilities there. Though we would have liked to keep access to some of the folks we were monitoring, that’s not the way it works.

We continued to provide aide and medical support to shelters and evacuees in cars and motor homes, delivered supplies and helped anywhere our help was requested.

In between, Michaela was invited to report to Governor Grisham about the activities of Pecos Valley Public Services during the current incident and the Governor thanked her and all of the Pecos Valley Public Services volunteers for all of the hard work.

We are monitoring the community event currently running on Facebook. Please stay save. If you want to request our support please call 2-1-1 or the number on our website.

UPDATE: Wednesday, June 19th , 22:42pm

We’re standing down for today. We hit 100 volunteer hours over the last three days and recorded 250 Miles driven. Our volunteers assisted with supplies, transport and medical services. It’s good to see how the city pulls together to help our neighbors from Ruidoso. We will be back on in the shelters and on the street tomorrow. I hope all those TV crews focus a bit more on the incredible work and the help and support provided by volunteers from all (different) walks of life. We met doctors, city workers, vet technicians, bankers, security guards, and many, many other people pitching in without hesitation. Even more people donated countless bottles of water, food, per food, clothing and other necessities. Roswell can be proud of its citizens.

_{Michaela, a Pecos Valley EMT talking to Red Cross volunteers}

UPDATE: Wednesday, June 19th , 12:52pm

We have our volunteers out in the streets and in the shelters. It is amazing to see the volunteering spirit in our city. Lots and lots of folks pitching in donating water, food and other items, helping with shelter management and other tasks. A big shout-out to the Chaves County Sheriffs Department, Roswell Fire, RPD, the city employees and the volunteers from the Red Cross. I just learned that some of those volunteers came all the way from Tucson to support us. Wow – thank you for all your help. We have no new information in regard to the fires. Please call 2-1-1 for the latest official information. Don’t believe rumors. Don’t spread rumors.

We have been deployed since Monday afternoon in support of the Ruidoso wildfire situation. Our volunteers have been assisting with a variety of tasks: Our ERV (Emergency Response Vehicle) was in action and supported and directed evacuees to shelters until 2 am in the morning on Monday night. We also accepted and collected many items from the great citizens of Roswell at the same time. On Tuesday, we supported the shelter operations with manpower and first-aid services, our medical support team circled all shelters all day and assisted many patients around the area. We are also monitoring the parking areas to support those who chose to camp out in their cars. We will continue to support the community and the evacuees as long as it is necessary. Thanks to Enrique and the Roswell Community Disaster Relief for their assistance. Who ever is in need of our services, please call 2-1-1 .

Exciting News: Big changes
Friday, June 14th 2024

Pecos Valley Public Services has been a State of New Mexico-recognized Search & Rescue organization since its humble beginnings in 2022. We established this organization to create a group that not only bears the name “Search & Rescue” but is also well-equipped, physically capable, well-trained, and highly motivated to accomplish its tasks.

Our directors have now voted to withdraw from New Mexico’s Search & Rescue framework. This opens many more opportunities to serve our community. Which was our primary focus all along. [Read More]

Volcanic Activity in New Mexico
Tuesday, June 11, 2024

Underneath a section of New Mexico is one of the largest magma chambers on the planet. Containing more than 84 cubic miles or 350 cubic kilometers of material, it is located underneath the town of Socorro.

This large body of magma is actively growing, and is likely to one day form a new volcano with eruptions similar to those seen at the Zuni Bandera volcanic field. This video will discuss this large magma body, and mention its associated earthquakes. Watch video (5 minutes)

Nature is challenging
Friday,May 24, 2024

Providing help in the wilderness comes with many challenges. How do you manage the terrain? Maintain communications? Provide medical aid to patients far from ambulances and hospitals? Pecos Valley Public Services doesn’t rely solely on traditional methods. We train our volunteers in state-of-the-art tools and techniques such as computer-aided mapping, satellite communications and navigation, digital wireless data exchange and messaging, and visible and thermal drones. Despite all this technology, navigating deserts or mountains still requires physical fitness – that’s why we have a strict training schedule. We specialize in wilderness assistance and rescue, equipped with the tools, and volunteers to handle even the toughest challenges.

On The Road Again
Wednesday, April 10, 2024

As part of the HOME (Homeless Mobile Outreach) initiative, we are present on site at least once a week to offer basic medical first aid and associated services to the homeless population in our vicinity. This time, we brought our emergency response truck (ERT). Collaborating with partner agencies, we address urgent needs such as food, housing, communication, and occasionally other concerns. Together, we have achieved success and empowered numerous clients to regain stability in their lives. We are volunteers; there is no monetary compensation involved. Our motivation stems from the belief that assisting individuals in reclaiming control over their lives necessitates a comprehensive approach. We take pride and find fulfillment in being available whenever our assistance is sought.

2024 Sertoma Colt Classic
Saturday / Sunday, March 29-30, 2024

The 2024 Sertoma Colt Classic tournament had everything a great baseball battle needs. From the crack of the bat to the roar of the crowd, every moment in the tournament was filled with anticipation and excitement. The teams battled fiercely, each inning bringing forth new strategies, heart-stopping plays, and unforgettable moments that left spectators on the edge of their seats. But the Sertoma Colt Classic wasn’t just about the action on the diamond; it was also a celebration of camaraderie and community. We were happy and proud to support the tournament with first aid and support services.

Supporting the Baatan Memorial March
Friday, March 5, 2024

Pecos Valley Public Services is providing communication resources and volunteers to support the 2023 Bataan Memorial Death March.

During WW2 thousand of American and Filipino soldiers were captured and marched for days, approximately 65 miles through the scorching jungles of the Philippines. Thousands died. Those who survived faced the hardships of prisoner of war camps and the brutality of their Japanese captors. The Army ROTC Department at New Mexico State University began sponsoring the Bataan Memorial Death March in 1989. The memorial march was to mark a page in history that included many native sons and affected many families in the state. The POWs would not see freedom until 1945 when U.S.-Filipino forces recaptured the lost territory. Read more …

Donation Drive
Friday, March 1, 2024

There’s once thing for sure: Whenever we are threatened, we stick together. Texas or New Mexico – a wild fire is raging in our neighborhood. So when the call came, we stood up. This time, we were asked to support our friends, the Roswell Community Disaster Relief Services. They asked us to help with a donation drive in support of the first responders and the citizens affected by the Smokehouse Creek Fire. Thanks to the generous support of Roswellians, we were able to pack a large trailer within a few hours. It will reach the devastated area by tomorrow. Thank you Roswell for your support. Thank you volunteers for your help. New Mexico rocks 🙂

Stop The Bleed
Sunday, February 25, 2024

Stop the Bleed is a grassroots national awareness campaign and call-to-action. Stop the Bleed encourages bystanders to become trained, equipped, and empowered to help in a bleeding emergency before professional help arrives. STOP THE BLEED^® is one of our nation’s largest public health campaigns. Its goal is to save lives by training people across the country how to stop traumatic bleeding. Find out why it matters. All of our volunteers are certified to be able to help if needed. Today Greg, Connie and Rudy got their STOP THE BLEED^® certificate. Would you be ready and able to help? Well be happy to train you – free of charge.

Be Ready – Safe A Life
Tuesday, January 23, 2024

Currently, 90% of people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die, in part because they do not receive CPR more than half of the time. What would you do if a friend, your child, your parent or colleague collapses in front of you? Would you be able and ready to help? Pecos Valley Public Services offers free CPR and AED training in our community. Get the training and help from a AHA instructor / EMT. Free of charge. All it takes is a little bit of your time.

Be Ready. Safe a life. Read More …

First Training 2024
Saturday, January 6, 2024

Pecos Valley Public Services – our “jump” team in action. During the first training in 2024 we simulated a mission in the Haystack Mountain OHV area. We deployed our emergency support truck for radio comms, medical support and rehab (with hot tea) and covered the search area with ground pounders and UTV assets. We continued with basic rope and compass training and ended the “mission” with a quick hands-on demonstration on how to use the LifePak 15 as an AED. Can you tell that it was cold? But we all had a lot of fun.

A Year In Review
Saturday, December 16, 2023

We wish you all a beautiful and peaceful holiday season. Take the time to reflect what is most important to you. Your family, your friends, your neighbors.

This is also a good time to think about yourself and how you can give back by volunteering for something that is worth your time and effort. We are a public charity. We serve the State of New Mexico and our community. We need volunteers like you to help us to make a difference in the life of people when they need help the most.

The HOME coalition
Sunday, November 19, 2023

The HOME (Homeless Outreach and Mobile Engagement) is a collaboration of organizations to provide free services to anybody who needs help. Hot meals, housing assistance and funding, treatment and recovery for substance abuse, free wireless tablets with service (for those who qualify) and basic medical checkups, first aid. Pecos Valley Public Services is proud to be a partner in this group and stands ready whenever help is required. If you want to be a part of this, here’s how you can volunteer.

Sixtus Is Home
Sunday, November 12, 2023

Whenever it comes to wilderness problems, we need tools and equipment to be able to fulfill our job. Our off-road cars and trucks can only takes us so far. This is is why we started to look for a vehicle that can carry gear very close to the incident zone or extract subjects when required. While there are some cheaper UTVs on the market, we needed a rugged, proven platform that can go (almost) anywhere. Most experienced UTVers would agree: The Polaris “Ranger” 6×6 platform is the way to go. But those units are expensive. We were lucky. A partner SAR team just bough new UTVs and they offered us the “older” unit for a reasonable price. This vehicle, we named it “Sixtus”, performed very well during a variety of missions in the wilderness and it will serve us to help those in need: In the undeveloped parts of our community or anywhere else.

Wilderness Training
Sunday, October 8, 2023

The Pecos Valley Public Service “Jump Team” went out for some signal mirror, map and compass training. Many folks don’t realize what a helpful tool a signal mirror can be. We re-familiarized ourselves with the mirrors, then set compass radials into the wilderness. The team went out with the task to signal their presence to the team-leader whenever they intersected the compass radials. We tried larger and smaller mirrors to determine the difference in signal quality. Both sizes worked well over a multi-mile distance. This is why we have signal mirrors in our backpacks.

2023 ENMSF Parade
Monday, October 02 2023

The 2023 annual parade: Sponsored by the Eastern New Mexico State Fair Board & City of Roswell. And what a huge parade it was. Thousands of visitors watched as the parade traveled down Main Street from the Wool Bowl all the way to Reed Street. Dozens of first responders, lights flashing and sirens wailing, almost one hundred other participants, marching bands, businesses .. it was a grant show. Pecos Valley Public Services was represented with our Emergency Response Vehicle. A big “thanks” to the organizers for another great parade.

Mission Call-Out
Friday, September 08 2023

Pecos Valley Public Services responded to a request for assistance in the Belen, NM area. We were on the road at 5am and returned to Roswell at 9pm. We provided aerial, ground and vehicle search assets, led groups of citizen volunteers in area searches and helped with tracking the subject. Thanks for the great support to the local businesses (food, snacks and water) and citizens (volunteer searchers), Rio Grande Estates FD, the police and sheriff’s department and all NM SAR teams (and officers) on scene.

Supporting the HOME initiative
Wednesday, September 06 2023

Pecos Valley Public Services supports the HOME initiative (Homeless Outreach and Mobile Engagement) with Basic First Aid and medical checkup services. We brought our Emergency Response Vehicle to a street event and had our volunteers help with all the services offered to the most vulnerable part of our community. The HOME service is a partnership with Alia n za, our friends at the Roswell Disasters Relief Service, Chaves County Health Council and other local organizations. We will be out in Roswell and other areas at least once every week.

Out in the neighborhood
Monday, August 28 2023

Another day – another training. Our “jump” team went our for a little hike around the neighborhood. Though it was a little hot, we all made the distance without difficulties. We then settled down to discuss different search techniques. Some of our members are preparing for the New Mexico “Field Cert” – the official SAR certification. From A like “attraction” to eXpanding circles – we went through all the different methods and all the dos and don’ts .

Field Certification Training
Monday, August 14 2023

It’s THAT time of the year again. The time when our new members have to study for the New Mexico Search & Rescue Field Certification. It’s all about the methods of conducting Search & Rescue, the correct terms to use in our line of “work”, how to recognize certain medical conditions and what equipment is required during missions. We will talk about maps, how to recognize and understand the different features and how to use a compass correctly. We will do some related outdoor training as well. Finally, the students will have a practical exam and a written test. All this is going to happen within the next 3 months. If you think about volunteering, now is the time.

National Night Out
Tuesday,August 1 2023

Many people took the time to chat with local first responders at the 2023 National Night Out. It was a great event. A big thanks to the organizer. We took the opportunity to talk to visitors about Basic Life Support – CPR, AED and “Stop The Bleed” . We did a number of short trainings and let folks try their skills on “Pete” the puppet. It’s not as easy as some thought, but it isn’t difficult either. Teaching skills like CPR / AED, basic first aid and “Stop The Bleed” is part of our commitment .. so that others can live. Sign up for a free course here.

Home Depot Summer Bash
Saturday, July 23 2023

We were invited to Home Depot’s 2023 Summer bash and it was great. Great people, awesome cars, and tasty food. We had a great time. We also flew our drone to capture some footage but the SD memory card died on us. And with it we unfortunately lost the footage too. Thankfully we shot more video and a few images and were able to stitch a short video together. Here it is …

Learn How To Safe A Life
Monday, July 17 2023

Protect your loved ones, friends and your community. Being trained in CPR provides the knowledge, confidence and skills to stay calm in a medical emergency and help a person in need. Individuals certified in CPR are prepared to make a difference in their community by being ready to jump into action anywhere a cardiac arrest happens. Pecos Valley Public Services is providing the training free of charge.

Training – Heat Illness
Saturday, July 08 2023

With the temperatures predicted to be in the 100s again, we focused this class room training on heat related illnesses. Heat cramps, heat syncope, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. What are the symptoms? How to avoid? How to treat? Our new video projector came in very handy. We also discussed the treatment of rattlesnake bites. And Greg trained us on a few new knots. Next training will be in the great outdoors again.

Mission Call Out
Tuesday, June 27 2023

Our emergency phone rang at 1:30 am and Pecos Valley Public Services was activated for a State Police Search and Rescue mission in the Silver City area. We prepared for a 4 1/2 hour drive, packed our vehicle with all the necessary equipment and had our volunteers on the road 45 minutes later – well within our commitment as a Type 1 team. The subject was located about an hour later and we were able to return to base. The best of all possible outcomes.

Don’t Fall For The Drone Scam
Thursday, June 22 2023

Drones are cool – but unfortunately expensive. There are a lot of ads on social media advertising what looks like DJI or Autel drones for below $100. Don’t fall for it. Those are crappy drones without GPS (which makes them almost impossible to control), extremely low capacity batteries, and usually without image stabilization. Those folks actually use video from expensive drones and sell lookalikes that can be bought for less than $20 on Chinese websites (like the one on the image). But those things won’t have any of the advanced features. If you see an ad for a cheap drone on any social media platform: Stay away. Don’t fall for it.

Chaves County Health Council
Sunday, June 11 2023

We were invited to present our organization to the CCHC. Wow – so many people helping to promote the physical, mental, and social well-being of all people in Chaves County. We are honored to participate and will try to help as much as we can. Go ahead .. look them up. And feel free to call 211 if you need non-emergency assistance. https://www.chavescountyhc.org/

Training In The Heat
Sunday, June 11 2023

Search & Rescue can’t defer mission because it’s too cold or too hot. So we went out for a training in the scorching heat. And hiked up Comanche Hill – with full gear. It was strenuous. But a subject may depend on our capabilities and our resolve. That’s why we went up that hill. In 103 degrees. Everybody made it ok and, after returning to base camp, we trained basic drone knowledge so that every team member knows how a drone works, how to change batteries and how to bring it home. Well done, team.

Become CPR / AED certified
Friday, June 9 2023

One person dies every 33 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease. Starting July 1st, Pecos Valley Public Services will be able to provide AHA approved “Basic Life Support” courses (CPR / AED). Providing CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is crucial when a person experiences cardiac arrest. Performing CPR is an urgent intervention for a person that is not breathing and therefore would certainly die without it. You never know when you’ll need to save a life. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. One person dies every 33 seconds from cardiovascular disease. Protect your family, your co-workers, your community. Contact us for details.

Rattlesnake Awareness (Video)
Thursday, June 1st 2023

Rattlesnake season is upon us once again. Time to talk about rattlesnake safety. As Search & Rescue responders, we are probably qualified to talk about rattlers as we are spending a lot of time in the desert and mountains. So we do meet our reptile neighbors (and other wildlife) frequently. Did you know? About 7,000–8,000 people per year receive venomous snake bites in the United States. Guess how many people die each year from those incidences? Hint – not many. With just a little attention and by following a few rules you can avoid serious situations while enjoying our grand wilderness areas in New Mexico. Read more …

Training – again 😀
Sunday, May 21 2023

Here we go again. Training in the Bitterlake NWR area. We checked our packs and went out for a small 2 1/2 Mile hike with the full equipment. Of course we visited our friend and namesake – the Pecos river. We stopped in between to do some compass training, discussed UTM vs. GPS and checked apps that give us exact location coordinates in UTM. After the hike, we re-trained the most import knots. There was also plenty of time to talk about our last missions and what’s up within the next few weeks. Thanks to all volunteers who spent the Sunday afternoon honing their skills and physical fitness.

143 Volunteer Hours
Sunday, May 14 2023

This was a long stretch. Our volunteers provided First Aid and other support to the Wool-Bowl carnival from May 4th to May14th. We located lost kids, provided medical services to a number of visitors, charged cell phones, helped with hydration and solved a few other issues. We saw people having fun, we saw a few altercations, we saw folks in trouble and we made a number of new friends. Thank you to Allstate Security for the professional services and Moore’s Greater Shows for a perfect carnival and for supporting us with a donation. We hope to see everybody again next year.

50:50 Raffle Ticket Winner: 6210627. Please contact us. Thank you.

CALL-OUT
Sunday, April 30 2023

At 6am this morning, Pecos Valley Public Services responded to a request to provide ground, vehicle and aerial support for an ongoing search in Sunland Park, NM. The subject was a special needs person who disappeared around Saturday evening. Our team was on the road at 6:45am and joined the search after arriving. We searched on foot and exhausted all of our aerial capabilities, than extended the search with our 4x4s. We were relieved at about 4pm. The subject has been found safe and sound.

ESCAPE
Wednesday, April 26 2023

Pecos Valley officers and members were among about 200 other New Mexico Search & Rescue volunteers at the 2023 New Mexico Search & Rescue Council‘s ESCAPE meeting. NMSARC is a not-for-profit organization that provides training, help and support to other New Mexico SAR organizations. Pecos Valley Public Services is an official member of NMSARC. Lots of talks, class room trainings and other events – framed by the beautiful surroundings of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The image shows a training session on how to securely strap a subject into a litter. In SAR – you can never learn enough.

April Is Volunteering Month
Thursday, March 30 2023

Are you looking for a little adventure? Do you want to to make a difference in your community? Do you have a passion for helping others in need? Consider becoming a search and rescue orange shirt. Search and rescue volunteers play a critical role in responding to emergencies and saving lives. From locating missing hikers or rescuing individuals trapped in natural disasters to serving the community in times of crisis, your skills and dedication could make all the difference. Training is provided, so no prior experience is necessary. Join the team and become a hero in your community today!

Come – See Us. Talk To Us.
Monday, March 27 2023

Come and say hello. We are at the ARTFAIR Arts & Crafts Show, April 1st & 2nd in the Roswell Convention center.

This event showcases the works of talented local and regional artists who have poured their hearts and souls into their pieces. You’ll be transported to a world of creativity and wonder. Come and appreciate the beauty of art, meet the artists behind the works, and expand your horizons. Don’t miss this opportunity to be inspired and captivated by the power of art.

And – yes. You can talk to us as well 😀

No place outdoors is safe from lightning
Thursday, March 23 2023

The hiking season is about to start. With warmer weather comes the risk of thunderstorms and lightning. Lightning is a major cause of storm related deaths in the U.S. A lightning strike can result in a cardiac arrest (heart stopping) at the time of the injury, although some victims may appear to have a delayed death a few days later if they are resuscitated but have suffered irreversible brain damage. Your behavior can reduce the risk of lightning harming you. Click the image for more information.

Help us: We need an ambulance
Saturday, March 18 2023

Our organization is all about saving folks in distress. When we are called up, we don’t know what to expect. Will we need ropes and gear to rappel down a crevasse or wash? Do we need stretchers and medical supplies? Are we able to deploy our drones? What do we need in regard to water, food or other consumables? A (used) ambulance truck would be the solution to all problems. Read more..

Learn To (legally) Fly A Drone
Thursday, March 3 2023

Drones are very cool technology. But regulations have changed and even hobbyists have to know the do’s and don’ts. Did you know that you will have to register certain drones? That everybody (even you) now needs an FAA certificate to legally fly a drone? That the police are allowed to ask you for your registration and/or certificate?

Pecos Valley now offers a drone course for everybody. The course is free, but a donation is requested. Help us with this fundraiser and get a valuable lecture in return. We even let you fly our drones. Here’s more information and a registration link.

Let Somebody Know
Thursday, March 3 2023

Before you head out in to the big wide open – make sure you let somebody know what your plans are. You can also use “SAR Find Me” a completely free service developed and provided by Pecos Valley Public Services. Just register your outdoor activity and approximate location and our computers will keep an eye on you. No fees, no advertising and no tracking. Create your virtual life line and know that SAR will be looking for you if you don’t make it back in time. Web-address: https://www.sarfindme.com/

Back To The Class Room
Sunday, February 26 2023

Our new members got their first taste of Search & Rescue theory. What is a hasty search? What is attraction? Why do our pants can’t have cotton? What is the correct compass? All of our volunteers have to study hard in order to earn their State Of New Mexico Search & Rescue certification. So we kicked off this years certification training. We will have a few weeks to get everybody to the point where they can confidently face the proctors. We all have started this way.

Training
Thursday, February 16 2023

We train every second Sunday. Today we had some rope work to do. The rappel worked well, with Michaela going over the ledge first in some form of controlled slide and Isaac and Greg going down the rope like special forces commandos. But what went down has to come up again. Unfortunately the toys we brought – especially the foot ascender – didn’t work as expected. So we had different methods to try. Image shows Michaela taking a break on the rope. We made it all up save and sound. A great training that required a lot of physical activities and flexible thinking. Well done everybody. More images on the way.

Night Shift – Again
Thursday, February 16 2023

Whenever the temperature dips into seriously cold, The Roswell Community Disaster Relief Service (RCDRS) shifts into high gear. And again we were helping them out to locate and provide aid to those who don’t have a roof over their heads. Not only did we fix RCDRS’s bus, we searched and found 8 individuals in need of help. We provided prepared sandwiches, gloves, beanies, insulation mats and heating packs. Thanks to all Pecos Valley volunteers who donated their time to help in the cold. And a shout out to the Roswell Community Disaster Relief Service: You guys rock.

All Hands On Deck
Sunday, February 5 2023

A great multi-agency training mission. We searched and located “Andy”, provided first aid and evacuated the unconscious “subject” thanks to the help of Trans Aero Medevac. Teams from Alamogordo and Ruidoso supported us on the search. Our drone finally located the victim in a deep crevasse. First aid was administered and the subject was carefully hauled out to the surface. A helicopter medical crew took over and “Andy” was transported out of the wilderness. We gratefully acknowledge the help of the Roswell Disaster Relief Service and the New Mexico Department of Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources (Superintendent McGary). Roswell Daily Record | Media Library (Updated: Feb. 08, 12:20 pm)

We have our very own frequency
Monday, January 25 2023

All public safety organizations have a frequency to be used in radio communications. Police, Fire, every agency has a designated radio channel. And now we have one too. The FCC granted us an FM frequency in the public safety spectrum and we can use it whenever we conduct trainings or on missions. How cool is that? Next up: Programming the radios. Thankfully, we do have a HAM on our team who understands those things. Roger. Beep. Over.

We are feeling yesterday’s training
Monday, January 23 2023

The mission for our first training in the new year: Get a 150lbs subject to a waiting “ambulance” – about a mile away on top of a hill. And today, I feel that mission in every muscle of my body. But that’s what training is all about. To gain experience and confidence. We dropped the stretcher at the bottom of the hill and created a 5:1 mechanical advantage to get it up to the waiting “ambulance”. Mission accomplished.

Alien SAR
Thursday, January 12 2023

Did you know? We are the only Search & Rescue outfit on the planet that has been certified by the LEAGUE OF GALACTIC EMPIRES for SAR operations. No kidding. Check us out at www.aliensar.com

This image is (of course) based on a real event. We couldn’t use cell phone cameras because of .. em .. regulations. And it’s secret. The usual. You DO know, that we are located in Roswell, NM? Want to get great drawings as well? Contact Chani on Facebook.

Baby It’s Cold Outside
Sunday, January 8 2023

Though we usually don’t have freezing temperatures like our Canadian friends up north, we can and should benefit from their experiences.

They have an excellent free online course about the rescue and handling of hypothermic subjects and about cold stressed situations in general. Everything we need to know if we have to do Search & Rescue in cold temperatures. Great videos, great knowledge and you even get a certificate.

Happy New Year
Wednesday, January 4 2023

We hope you had a great ‘slide’ into the New Year. We went out on a scouting mission and visited the “Haystack Mountain OHV” in the north-east area of out county. Beautiful rugged terrain for off-roading, climbing or hiking. We wanted to fly our drone to get a few nice videos, but it was too windy to fly our little SAR drone. We’ll have a better drone soon. Want to help? Click “Donate” on the top of the page.

A Night In The Cold
Friday, December 23 2022

Michaela is talking to the Police Commander during a structure fire.

We partnered up with the Roswell Community Disaster Relief Services and were tasked to monitor parks and undeveloped areas in our town for folks in distress due to the cold. At around 1:30am we were called to a structure fire that left a family of 5 with nothing. But the cooperation with RCDRS worked well and we were able to put the family into a hotel.

Emergency Calls via Satellite
Friday, December 16 2022

Emergency SOS via satellite is now available on Apple iPhone 14 devices. This ground breaking technology will make emergency services available to users who are in areas without cellular or WiFi access. It does this using a network of 24 low-earth orbit satellites that the iPhone can connect to. This allows you to send very short low-bandwidth emergency text messages to earth-based ground stations.

And – should you run into trouble – it’s us who are going to get you out. So please – stay safe.

Fly Baby Fly ..
Friday, December 16 2022

What good is a Christmas bonus if you can’t spend it to buy some gear for Search & Rescue? A few team members threw some bucks into the hat so that we were able to purchase a new drone. We call her “Doris”. Nothing fancy, but 4K video, Zoom, 3 Miles range, and a number of batteries for extended flight time. We’re still saving money for a drone with FLIR, but even “Doris” will be helpful. Here’s the first video …

Come .. join us.
Wednesday, December 14 2022

If you love the outdoors, if you are ready to help us to help others, if you accept the challenge – here’s your chance. Consider joining a professional and mission-ready team to become a volunteer Search & Rescue first responder. Together we will experience adventure and fun – but also uncomfortable situations and hardships. Contact us for details.

Training Day
Sunday, December 11 2022

Training day again. The last for this year. But we ended it with a bang. All of the remaining unqualified team members passed their physical fitness exam as required by the State of New Mexico Standard operating Procedure (SOP-1) with 20 minutes to spare.

Congratulations. We are proud of you.

We now have a drone pilot
Wednesday, December 7 2022

In order to fly a drone (other than just for fun) you need a drone pilot license. Michaela passed her FAA Part 107 exam with a score of 97% (couldn’t make it 100% 🙂 and we now have a certified drone pilot in our team. This will improve our Search&Rescue activities a lot as we now have the capability to conduct searches from the air. We are now planning to buy a drone with the capabilities for day & night searches.

Want to help us with a donation? Thanks for contacting us.

Christmas Dinner
Tuesday, December 6 2022

While our company is young, our team is strong and we enjoy each others company. We went to check out the new (to me) Texas Road House for our first Christmas dinner. We had stories to swap, jokes to tell and we discussed our plans for the future. Though not everybody could make it – we had a great time anyway.

Training Day – Again
Sunday, November 27 2022

Yes – we do a lot of training. This time, we had the Roswell Community Disaster Relief Services joining us to see what we do. We trained knots, got acquainted with our new mobile litter system and, of course, went on the ropes a bit. Another fun and interesting event in the great outdoors.

Don’t Call Us – We Find You
Friday, November 25 2022

We are participating in SarFindMe. Just register before you head out into the wilderness and shouldn’t you return in time, we’ve got your back. No trackers, no third-party cookies, no advertising and it’s completely free to use. Always let someone know where you are and when you are planning to come back.

UTM Coordinates
Thursday, November 17 2022

While GPS locations are pretty common everywhere, we SAR folks also use the UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) coordinate system. Which has advantages and disadvantages. In any way – we need to know how to find or way in UTM and that’s why it is important to refresh your knowledge once in a while. This is a good explainer ..

First Training
Sunday, November 13 2022

Pecos Valley Volunteers came together to start training in the Bitter Lake Wildlife Refuge. We did some basic rappelling (roping down) and introduced knots, the “rescue 8” and “tubes” to safely get down a drop. After all – that’s where a victim may be found. Also on the training menu: CPR/AED – we used our AED device to simulate the workflow on a simulated heart attack patient.

Wilderness First Responder
Friday, November 11 2022

Michaela passed her “Wilderness First Responder” course. Congratulations. Now .. what is a WFR? In short: Among other things they are able to provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation, provide emergency medical care controlling hemorrhage, bandaging wounds, manually stabilizing injured extremities. They are able to distinguish medical problems that need an evacuation from minor issues that can be dealt with in the field.

Ropes: Know Your Knots
Wednesday, November 02 2022

Ropes are indispensable components of SAR missions. That’s why we are required to have them in our packs. But what good are ropes if we don’t know how to use them? Basic knowledge starts with the ability to tie knots. This video from “Dallas Fire-Rescue Training” gives you a great introduction into rope work.

Watch Video (1 5 m i n u t e s ) …

Cheap Emergency Radio – A Great Tool
Thursday, October 20 2022

SAR team members have to carry a lot of gear. The New Mexico “Field Guide” requires us to carry food, clothing, water and a variety of tools like compass, ropes and more. Sometimes a product comes along that combines a number of things into one nice package and this “Emergency Radio” truly fits the bill.