Albuquerque Fire Rescue (AFR) recently prepared for an elevated wildfire risk amid dry and windy conditions.
The department has the highest possible score from the Insurance Service Office, a Class 1 rating, according to its website. Its members completed tests and wildfire refresher training.
“I’d say our spring’s really, really busy for us,” AFR Lt. Joseph Kandel told KOB 4. “As far as what we're doing, we got a jump start on our refresher training this year, and we were pretty much done by the end of March.”
The lack of moisture, high winds, and high temperatures make wildfires easy to start and spread, so Albuquerque Fire Rescue will soon start patrols to monitor for wildfires.
Established on June 1, 1900, AFR responded to 90,208 calls in 2020, which made the department the 30th busiest in the United States that year, according to its website.
“The Albuquerque Fire Rescue is a paid municipal department, comprised of 729 uniformed personnel, serving a jurisdiction of more than 189 square miles and an estimated city population of 558,000; the greater metropolitan area population is estimated at 909,906,” AFR’s website said.
AFR provides fire suppression, fire prevention, arson investigation, emergency medical services, emergency dispatch services, special operations response, community paramedicine, and public education, according to its website.
