Eddy County Search & Rescue

Tonight at our monthly meeting, longtime ECSAR member Craig Heine trained members in the basics of pulleys, leverage, and knots, just a small part of his extensive ropes rescue knowledge. Ropes rescue is an important aspect of backcountry rescue and we are thankful to have members with such extensive knowledge to share.

-CMDR Maciain

Members of ECSAR participated in Riverblitz 2026 this morning, pulling out nearly three full pickup beds of trash as well as a big chunk of 24” pipe and an entire refrigerator. Thanks to everyone for showing up for the community and putting a dent in the never-ending trash that piles up around the county.

-CMDR Maciain

UPDATE: Roadways have reopened. Reminder to drive safe, temperatures are expected to drop below freezing tonight and roadways will likely freeze again.

Main St. (US 82) is shut down at Centennial Ave. for police activity. Traffic is being rerouted down Centennial. Avoid the area and find alternate routes.

❄️ Winter Weather Preparedness and Helpful Contacts ❄️

As winter weather moves through Eddy County, your 911 center remains staffed and ready to respond to emergencies. Our dispatchers are monitoring conditions and coordinating closely with public safety partners to ensure continued service, even if travel or weather becomes challenging.

Please call 9-1-1 for emergencies only. For non-emergency issues related to weather, roads, or utilities, the numbers below may be helpful and help keep emergency lines available for those who need them most.

Road Conditions
New Mexico Road Conditions:
Dial 511 or visit nmroads.com for current road closures and travel advisories

Power and Utilities:

PNM Power Outages: call 888-342-5766, report online or text to 78766.

Xcel Energy Outages (parts of Eddy County): 1-800-895-4999

New Mexico Gas Company (gas odor or outage): 888-664-2726

Community Resources NM 2-1-1:
Dial 211 for shelter information, warming centers, and other community resources

If you experience a life-threatening emergency, please call 9-1-1 immediately.

We encourage everyone to avoid unnecessary travel if conditions worsen, take precautions to stay warm, and check on neighbors who may need assistance.

Thank you for your patience and trust as we work to keep our community safe. 💙

Tonight we honored our 2025 Volunteers of the Year, which are members who rise above and beyond their duties. Our two outstanding members are Karla Granillo (not pictured) and Rick Wiedenmann. Karla is a newer member that has demonstrated an excellent commitment to our team since her initial interest. Rick is a long standing member of the team, and served as the commander for a significant portion of his time with us. His unwavering commitment to this team stands above. Congratulations to you both on this well-deserved recognition.

-CMDR Maciain

From KRQE and the Artesia Police Department:

: The Artesia Police Department and other emergency crews responded to an explosion at the HF Sinclair Navajo Refinery on Friday morning. Police announced online that the situation is under control and has been extinguished by emergency response teams

READ MORE HERE - https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/artesia-police-on-scene-of-explosion-at-oil-refinery/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_KRQE_News_13

The Artesia Police Department is reporting an explosion incident at HF Sinclair (formerly the Navajo Refinery). Please avoid the area of 1st and Main in Artesia until further notice, especially E. Main. Emergency responders are on scene for suppression efforts and landing zone preparation.

Members were recruiting at National Night Out on August 9, sharing with the community some of our gear and what we do as a team. L-R Deputy Commander Brett Seal, Commander Hoyt Maciain, and Member Chris Dominguez. Thanks to Gonzales Media Services for the photo.

Thank you all members who attended the EddyCounty National night out August 9th 2025. Great turnout connecting with our community members, political leaders and first responders. Until next year… Go ECSAR!

Smokey Bear turns 81 today! For more than eight decades, he’s reminded us that only you can prevent wildfires. Celebrate Smokey’s legacy by practicing fire safety and sharing his message with the next generation. Happy birthday, Smokey Bear!

Had a great turnout for Artesia’s National Night Out this evening. Come and see us again on Saturday, August 9 from 8-5 at the Carlsbad Beach Park for Eddy County’s NNO event!