Department Head, Fire and Rescue
Director Hilda Bowman    
Updated 12-06

Hilda has been with McKinley County for 21 years in various capacities, first serving with the Sheriff’s Department for 13 years before moving into Fire & Rescue and ascended to Director of Fire and EMS.  Director Bowman is charged with the operation of 12 career personnel and 21 districts and one starting up, making McKinley County the largest fire department in New Mexico.

With the help of a department staff consisting of a emergency manager, secretary, administrative assistant, EMS Coordinator/Manager, Fire-Fleet Coordinator/Manager, Thoreau EMS Operations Supervisor, 4 EMT-Firefighters and 2 Fleet Technicians; Hilda Bowman is responsible for fire suppression, rescue, emergency medical services (EMS) services, emergency management, fleet maintenance, and homeland security.

Director Bowman is most proud of McKinley's overall emergency response capabilities.  "If a disaster should occur, we would be ready to provide services to residents," she says.

Director Bowman's office is the center point for twenty one fire stations, each with emergency rescue and emergency medical services (EMS) and the Career Thoreau EMS/Fire operation services. 

Director Bowman also serves as fiscal agent for additional EMS departments to include, Pueblo of Zuni EMS, Tohatchi Navajo Nation EMS, Gallup Medflight, Crownpoint Navajo Nation EMS, Medstar in Gallup. 

The McKinley fire stations are operated with approximately 330 volunteer and [7] career EMT/firefighters with 130 of them currently (as of 12-15-06) crossed trained and licensed as; [65] First Responders, [52] EMT-Basics, [12] EMT-Intermediates and [1] Paramedic.  In addition, the county maintains 74 pieces of firefighting apparatus including fire trucks, dual purpose pumper/tenders, as well as a tanker shuttle for low water availability areas, all with drop tanks; 3 office response vehicles, a fleet shop truck and one general purpose office vehicle.

All McKinley Fire Stations qualify for state funding as certified by the State Fire Marshal's Office at levels 5 to 9 on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being best.  The certifications are based on inspections of buildings, equipment, volunteers, and training programs.  The National Insurance Services Office (ISO) conducts very detailed inspections and approvals to qualify residents for insurance discounts on their homes, the ISO rating determining the level of state funding for each Fire Department with more guaranteed money as the district lowers their ISO number.

Director Bowman also oversees a well rounded training program at the county training center.  Classes are coordinated by CDR's Hoffman and Woolman to include firefighting, rescue, extrication, emergency medical certification from First Responder to EMT-Intermediate, first aid and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), EMS Continuing Education and specialty programs.

The training programs leading to Firefighter 1, CPR, First Aid, EMT certificated courses, specialty courses and continuing education are open to the public for varying fees and based upon availability and approval of the CDR's, Director and County Manager.