City Councilors Quash Fire Chief's Staffing Plans
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Albuquerque Fire Rescue Chief Emily Jaramillo is the first woman to serve as Fire Chief in the department's 123-year history. As a former teacher, Jaramillo was compelled to switch careers when she had a recruiter come talk to her class.
This week on the New Mexico News Insiders Podcast, Chief Jaramillo joins Chris and Gabby to discuss the challenges and fulfilling parts of the job. She also discusses a contentious City Council meeting that had her in the hot seat defending a controversial staffing change she believes will improve response times in the city and ultimately help save lives in an emergency.
Some local firefighters addressed the staffing plan during public comment, accusing Chief Jaramillo of abandoning their two-paramedic rescue system and going against the so-called 'gold standard.' However, Chief Jaramillo claims her plan would provide quicker life-saving response to patients in an emergency, and says firefighters will have a chance to improve their EMS skills by rotating between trucks.
So why was it ultimately city councilors who quashed AFR's staffing plan? How is the Chief responding to AFR morale? Those topics and more are discussed in the full interview.
Stay informed with the latest news by subscribing to the New Mexico News Insiders Podcast wherever you listen. Download new episodes of the New Mexico News Insiders every Tuesday, starting around 5:30 a.m., Mountain time. Episodes are available on most podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Podbean, among others.
You can also watch our podcasts in video form both on-air or online. Tune in to an abbreviated version of the New Mexico News Insiders podcast on broadcast television every Wednesday at 10:35 p.m. on Fox New Mexico. Full video episodes are posted on KRQE's YouTube page at youtube.com/krqenews13.
Having trouble finding the show? Try searching your favorite podcast player with the term 'KRQE' or 'New Mexico News Insiders' (without the quotes). You can also use the links above to find the podcast on each service or listen to the audio player at the top of this post.
If you have a question, comment, or suggestion for who should be interviewed on the podcast, let us know! Email your hosts at chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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