Mid-South firefighters head out on week-long rescue mission after wildfires and flooding devastate New Mexico village

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Six Mid-South firefighters are headed to New Mexico, on a mission to help an area devastated by recent wildfires and flash flooding.

The Town of Collierville said three of its firefighters joined three City of Millington firefighters on a mission to Ruidoso, New Mexico, a tourist area in the mountains in the southern part of the state.

Firefighters reported June 26, 2024, the threat from flames was all but quenched with the help of rain over recent days. But then the concern became flooding from those rains. The Village of Ruidoso issued an immediate evacuation order Sunday, June 30, due to the flooding.

Collierville said help was requested through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), a mutual aid agreement between states and areas in times of natural and man-made disasters.

Collierville said the firefighters headed to the area are part of a ‘Type 3 Swiftwater Rescue Team,’ consisting of six rescue technicians and boats. Collierville’s team is taking a metal boat and two inflatable rescue boats. 

The team arrived June 29 and are expected to be in that area for a week. Collierville Fire Chief said the group has supplies for seven days, consisting of meals-ready-to-eat (MREs), water, tents, and portable toilets.

“They’ve been advised that they probably won’t have any support, so they must be completely self-sufficient,” said Chief John Selberg. “I am proud of our people stepping up to assist.”

Prior to the flooding, crews had been combing the areas looking for anyone affected by the wildfires. Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford said on June 26 there were zero names left on the list of those who had been unaccounted for in the wake of the evacuations. Early on, authorities confirmed two fire-related deaths.

The community has about 8,000 permanent residents but that population can easily triple in the summer when tourists are looking to escape to the Sacramento Mountains or visit the Ruidoso Downs Race Track to watch the horses run.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.