CHS band is on fire! SCFR helps members cool off at end of camp

RIO RANCHO — The Cleveland High School band, Storm Regiment, was on fire July 30 after an intense, weeklong band camp, which is why Sandoval County Fire Rescue (SCFR) came out to spray the students down as part of the inaugural WaterFest.

At the end of the CHS band camp, students filed into the school parking lot, the summer heat radiating off the glimmering blacktop, tar melting between slabs of asphalt, and huddled in a group, waiting for relief. It was then that SCFR opened the spigot and released a torrent of water on the grateful band members.

According to firehouse.com, an online site for calculating hose flow rates, water output from fire hoses can vary greatly, but the average fire hose puts out between 10-25 gallons of water per minute.

“The Sandoval County firefighters are the key to this happening,” said Storm Regiment Band Boosters president Shannon Cassidy. “They have to volunteer [their] time and resources to this endeavor so that their readiness is not impacted.”

According to Lt. Lauren Zabicki, a spokesperson for SCFR and a “proud mother of a color guard captain”, there were four SCFR staff and one firetruck at the event.

Cassidy added there were also 170 Storm Regiment band students and many CHS directors and staff on site for the event.

“Sandoval County Fire Rescue was proud to celebrate the last day of a rigorous band camp with the students,” Zabicki said. “Their hard work, diligence and commitment to the Cleveland band program are admirable attributes and characteristics that are very close to our hearts here at Sandoval County [Fire Rescue].”

WaterFest marks the end of the summer prep season and the start of the new school year for the Storm Regiment band, which will participate in its own dedicated band competitions, as well as supporting other CHS athletics teams.

“Marching band kids put in hundreds of hours before school begins and through October,” Cassidy said. “At Cleveland, we not only bring the spirit to the football games, we also are very competitive on the state and regional level.”

This year, the CHS band will compete at the Bands of America contest in Midland, Texas, Sept. 28; the Zia Marching Fiesta at University of New Mexico Oct. 19; and the NMAA State Band Competition Oct. 26, which will be the first-ever NMAA state championship for marching band in New Mexico. The state championship will be hosted at Rio Rancho High School.

Cassidy said these events are always highly attended.

“Rio Rams have a fabulous band as well,” said Cassidy. “These are the largest organizations on campus ... The Storm marches 170, and I believe the Rams are at 160 this year. Both programs are growing in numbers and reputation. We are very fortunate that Rio Rancho Public Schools supports music at such a high level.”