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Questa Fire and Emergency Services Stay Ready to Respond and Seek Volunteers

Photo by Lora Arciniega Those in attendance at monthly meeting led by President Agustin Rael


In a significant move to enhance public safety, the Questa Fire Department (QFD) and Questa Emergency Medical Services (QEMS) officially began their merger in early May of this year. The unification was made possible by a grant from the Village of Questa, allowing for the hiring of three to four new paid firefighters to work alongside the existing ambulance crew.


New personnel is a critical step in strengthening the department’s ability to serve northern Taos County. The additional help supports responses to fire calls and provides crucial extra support for EMS incidents, which, according to department president Agustin Rael, make up the majority of their calls.


“This also gives us the ability to staff our backup ambulance for back-to-back calls if need be,” said Rael, highlighting a key benefit of the merger for ensuring continuous coverage.


The combined department, located at 2463 NM-522, is made up of 12 to 15 paid employees and approximately 10 active volunteer members. The new leadership structure for the combined department is as follows: Fire/EMS Chief: Greg Bobick, Battalion Chief: Daniel (DJ) Mandonado, President/Treasurer: Agustin Rael, and Vice President/Secretary: Daniel Valencia.
Under new leadership for the past several months, the department has been continually improving and keeping up on training. Rael praises Mandonado’s leadership, saying, “We all thought DJ would be perfect for the role and he is proving us right.”


Rael says the integration has been going well. While acknowledging the “few challenges and learning curves” that come with restructuring, he emphasizes the success of the new personnel who are “integrating well with those of us who have been around for a while.” The department has increased both its paid

and volunteer staff this year and is focused on growing the skill sets of each member.
The department is actively seeking volunteers. Rael notes that having more people involved “takes the load off others” and encourages anyone interested in volunteering as a firefighter or pursuing a career in emergency services to reach out.
The annual boot drive fundraiser is scheduled for Sept. 6 in Questa. The department plans to hold an open house for the public once fire station renovations are complete, reinforcing the message: “We want the community to know that we’re here for them,” Rael says.


The department’s monthly business meeting is held at 6 p.m. on the last Thursday of the month.

  • Experience working with the USDA Forest Service and extensive knowledge of the northern region, while maintaining and fostering strong community relationships remain a big priority.