Chimayo Volunteer Fire District
The residents of Chimayo established the Chimayo Valley Fire Department in the early 1960s. The original fire station was constructed by community members and consisted of a two-bay building that housed a fire engine and a water tender. The station was expanded in the early 1980s to include two additional apparatus bays, an office, and a lobby. It was determined there was a need for additional resources to better serve the large area of the Chimayo district and in 1985 the Community Center of Cundiyo was set up to house two fire apparatus.
Insurance Services Organization (ISO) Rating for the Chimayo Volunteer Fire District (9):
ISO collects information (such as nearest water supply, fire station, station staffing, paid or volunteer, number of personnel, number and type of fire trucks, pumping capacity, etc.) on municipal fire-protection efforts in communities throughout the United States. Based on the information a numerical rating is given to the area which is used by insurance companies to determine premiums. The Santa Fe County Fire Department is set up to meet/exceed the NFPA 1231 Water Supplies for Suburban and Rural Firefighting requirement of 250 gallons of water per minute for 2 hours. Because of this, there is currently, not a district in the County that has a class 10 rating. Lower ISO ratings apply to specific areas and subdivisions in the district with a hydranted water supply or inspected water source within 1,000 feet of a residence or 500 feet of a commercial business. Higher ISO ratings apply district wide where there are no hydrants or inspected water sources within 1,000 feet of a residence or 500 feet of a commercial business. |
The Chimayo Fire District is situated in the northeast corner of Santa Fe County, adjacent to National Forest land, and has been responsible for providing fire and emergency medical services for both Santa Fe and Rio Arriba Counties, assisting both Espanola EMS and Rio Arriba County Fire Department. Serving the communities of Chimayo, Rio Chiquito and Cundiyo out of two stations located at #226 Juan Medina Rd. and #5 Jose Simon Dr., the fire district is made up mainly of smaller homes in a rural area of Santa Fe County with a significant cultural history. There are a number of old building whose age exceeds 75 years throughout the district, some which are listed on the National historic registry.