Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
NEWKIRK — To the applause of nearly two dozen family, friends and neighbors, Newkirk Volunteer Fire Department Chief Robert Hall and Assistant Chief Chris Booth did the ribbon-cutting honors on Dec. 29 to officially open the Pablo Aragon Fire Station.
The $580,000 project was funded by a New Mexico Fire Marshal’s grant and a loan from New Mexico Finance Authority.
Additionally, with help from the county, the Newkirk VFD was awarded a grant from the state Forestry Division for wildlands firefighting equipment.
Work to build the new fire station began in 2017 with Pajarito Ranch LLC owners Michael and Mary Romero donating the land, including a well.
They also chose to name the station after Michael Romero’s great-great-grandfather, Pablo Aragon, often referred to as the “Father of Guadalupe County.”
The Newkirk VFD responded to more than 28 calls in 2022, including wildfires and highway vehicle mishaps. Newkirk sits just a few miles west of the Quay County line.