Latest news with #EmilyJaramillo
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Southwest Public Safety Center nearly completed in Albuquerque
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – More than a year after breaking ground, Albuquerque is now just months away from opening a major new hub for fire, police, and social workers on the corner of 98th Street and Amole Mesa. Story continues below Entertainment: First-of-its-kind indoor pickleball facility coming to northeast Albuquerque Community: Albuquerque church leaning on faith after 2 members killed by their son Environment: What should New Mexicans do if they come across a raccoon? That station is just one part of a newer experiment for Albuquerque, making its first regional public safety center with space for firefighters, police officers, and Albuquerque Community Safety. It was March of last year when they broke ground, and now, the Southwest Public Safety Center is just months away from opening its doors. 'Starting in August, we will open this station with an ALS engine. So it'll be an engine, fire engine that carries the water, the hose, all of that. And then it'll also be staffed with one paramedic and then three firefighters that have our EMT basics so that we can provide paramedic coverage and fire suppression coverage,' said Albuquerque Fire Rescue Chief Emily Jaramillo. The new hub will serve the Southwest Mesa, one of the fastest-growing areas of the city that's only expected to get bigger. AFR said it's planning for that growth by building extra space for more fire engines expected to call Station 23 home over the next decade. One of the biggest benefits will be faster response times for AFR in that area. 'We've really relied on our automatic aid agreement to meet response times in this area of the city with Bernalillo County fires. So right now, Bernalillo County Fire is covering quite a bit of this area for us to make sure that we are meeting response times. However, now, AFR being here, this is all city jurisdiction. We're going to be able to meet those response times with our own apparatus,' said Jaramillo. The center will be one of two planned spaces for ACS on the Westside. 'We're going to have an admin staff here. The thing with our responders is that they're always responding to calls. And so, this will be a nice touch point for them to be able to come in and finish a report. But it'll be a nice space for everybody to collaborate. We can receive referrals from our counter departments here, and we're really excited to be here,' said Jodie Esquibel, director, Albuquerque Community Safety. Phase one of the project should be open by August. Eventually, the city is also hoping to transit center and a community center on the property. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
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 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 or Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Albuquerque mayor files complaint against city council over AFR staffing ordinance
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It was a highly debated bill addressing paramedic staffing within Albuquerque Fire Rescue, pitting the fire chief against the firefighters union and Albuquerque City Council. The bill passed but the fight against it isn't over as Mayor Tim Keller has taken it to the courts claiming the council overstepped its authority. Story continues below Crime: Sentencing begins for group involved in fatal drive-by shooting of 5-year-old Entertainment: When will ski resorts in New Mexico, southern Colorado close for 2025? Rankings: Where does this New Mexico town rank among the 2025 'Best Places to Live'? After a heated and lengthy council meeting earlier this month, council voted 7-2 to pass R-25-122. The bill codified the current staffing requirement of having two paramedics on AFR rescue units. It came after AFR Chief Emily Jaramillo rolled out a pilot that would have a firefighter with basic EMT training take the place of one of the two fully-trained paramedics when responding to calls. The chief said this would allow at least one paramedic at more calls across the city and noted the department's challenge in recruiting paramedics. Though the ordinance is now in place, its future could be uncertain. Instead of vetoing the bill, Mayor Tim Keller has filed a legal complaint against the council asking a court to at least put a pause on the ordinance. It claims that after AFR leadership and the firefighters union, International Association of Fire Fighter 244, disagreed on that staffing change, the union conspired with city councilors to get their preference through legislation. The complaint claims this violated the city's Labor Management Rights Ordinance. The complaint also accused city council of violating the separation of powers set forth by state and city law, by intruding on the executive branch's authority of determining staffing. Personnel disputes need to be resolved by the labor board and through the courts, not by politicians including me. Until then, I'm confident our Fire Chief and our firefighters will keep doing what they do best, protecting our city and serving those in need. Mayor Tim Keller But in another statement tonight Councilor Dan Lewis, who was one of the sponsors of the bill along with Councilor Joaquin Baca, argued otherwise. The councilor maintained that the city charter grants council the power to 'adopt all ordinances conducive to the welfare of the people of Albuquerque,' and that this action was fully within that authority. 'While Mayor Tim Keller fights the International Association of Fire Fighters, the City Council is listening to the union and the paramedics in the field who are saving lives,' said Councilor Lewis in an emailed statement. 'Having two paramedics on a rescue unit increases the chances of someone surviving a heart attack or serious injuries from an automobile accident.' There is no hearing date set yet on the complaint. Chief Jaramillo sat down with News 13's New Mexico News Insiders podcast. To listen to her in-depth interview on this issue, you can listen to the episode wherever you get your podcasts starting on March 25, 2025. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
City council pass resolution on how Albuquerque Fire Rescue is staffed
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Albuquerque city council is passing a resolution that changes how all fire stations are staffed. Navajo storyteller brings representation in front and behind the camera Previously each Albuquerque Fire Rescue truck was required to have a minimum of two firefighters who have some training as EMT's or paramedics. The resolution changes that requirement to two paramedic firefighters. The firefighters union said the resolution keeps AFR as a gold standard for fire-based emergency medical services. Members of AFR, retirees and paramedics showed up to Monday's city council meeting in support resolution. Fire Chief Emily Jaramillo said the change could hurt response times as each station is staffed differently to meet certain needs. Councilors voted to pass the resolution on a vote of 7-2. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
