Commission approves staff for Cuba as EMS program terminated

CUBA — Cuba, New Mexico is getting support for emergency services from the county.

Sandoval County Fire and Rescue Chief Chris Bagley requested staff and support for a 24/7 three-person station in the Cuba area to preserve advanced life support overage following the upcoming termination of the PMS-Cuba EMS program. The program will cease operation on July 1, 2026.

Without this action, residents and visitors in northwest Sandoval County could be an hour or more from care, according to the approval cover page from the Nov. 12 meeting.

The total request was for 12 positions originally, but County Manager Wayne Johnson asked for an amendment to add three more to that, making the total 15 positions. The three additional positions are funded by the Jicarilla Apache Nation, who met with the county earlier in the week, according to Johnson. Jicarilla Apache was interested in getting additional support to their area

The approval cover page states the station will be staffed with operational positions, including lieutenants, paramedics and EMTs, across three shifts, providing ALS response along with structural/wildland firefighting, vehicle extrication, HazMat, and technical rescue capabilities.

To manage the added workload, there was also a request for administrative positions, including an administrative lieutenant, a civilian logistics assistant and an additional EMS billing/administrative assistant.

Deputy County Manager Eric Masterson also explained that the added positions would be to supplement the existing volunteers in Cuba.

“This full-time staff is to supplement the amazing volunteers that we have in that region. The village of Cuba has a great volunteer force, and then Sandoval County has volunteers Regina, Sahara to our own areas. This staff will be to supplement, not to take over. Those volunteers are essential to that area, and we look forward to continuing that partnership,” he said.

Funding has already been received and is recurring through the New Mexico Ambulance Supplemental Payment Program.