Community Stars of Cibola County

GRANTS, N.M. - Cibola County’s Fire and Emergency Services were honored and awarded as 2022’s New Mexico Community Stars on National Rural Health Day. This is through the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health. For those who don’t know, the Community Star recognition program is a big part of National Rural Health Day. Those that are nominated to be their state's Community Stars represent the improvement of people’s lives and health in rural communities. Community Stars is released as an eBook every National Rural Health Day.

Represented by Dustin Middleton, the Emergency Manager and Fire Marshal for Cibola County, the COVID-19 Taskforce was nominated for this award by Dr. Chelsea White. The Taskforce was devised at the beginning of the COVID19 pandemic. This was a group of firefighters and EMS providers that worked with New Mexico’s Department of Health as well as Cibola County’s Public Health Nurse to create and follow through with a plan to vaccinate residents throughout the county. This included Fire Marshal Dustin Middleton, his Deputy Fire Marshal Tomasita Desoto, Fire Chief Daniel Urioste, Assistant Fire Chief Mike Rivera, former Fire Chief Keith Austin, David Habiger and Kolton Wilson from Superior Ambulance, and the Public Health Office Manager Vanessa Marez. The COVID-19 Taskforce volunteered their time in order to staff events and spread awareness about vaccinations to members of the community who were hesitant to get them. Each member of the taskforce was able to vaccinate hundreds of members of the community with their volunteer time while still going through with their day-to-day responsibilities.

Middleton would like to remind the community that Cibola County does not have as much moisture as some might think and to be wise and responsible by not burning anything with high winds present. He also would like to remind the community that with cold weather setting in to make sure to clean out your chimneys in order to prevent the risk of house fires.