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Hobbs Fire Department presents 2024 annual report; reports over 10,500 calls and improved response times
Summary
Fire Chief Mark Deporto told the Hobbs City Commission the department handled about 10,562 emergency calls in 2024, including 2,086 fire responses and 8,476 EMS responses, recorded a dispatch-to-en-route average of 1 minute 18 seconds and first-arrival time of 4 minutes 11 seconds, and logged 17,869 training hours.
The Hobbs Fire Department reported Tuesday that its personnel responded to just over 10,500 calls in 2024 and have increased training and staffing efforts while moving forward on a planned training facility.
Fire Chief Mark Deporto told the Hobbs City Commission the department’s total responses for the year included 2,086 fire responses and 8,476 emergency medical responses — for a combined total “just above 10,500 calls.” Chief Deporto said structure fires that required extinguishment numbered 57 and the department estimated total property loss related to fire at $2,117,786 and vehicle loss at about $257,000, bringing a reported total loss figure to approximately $2.3 million.
Chief Deporto highlighted operational capacity and training. The department operates eight front-line ambulances plus one reserve; four front-line pumpers and one reserve pumper; two ladder apparatus and specialized units including a hazmat vehicle, four grass units and one tanker. He said the department currently has 67 shift personnel, seven day-shift staff positions and six vacancies. Training was a major focus: Hobbs reported 17,869.45 hours of training in the year, five newly certified paramedics, certifications from internal academies and promotion of multiple personnel (two deputy chiefs promoted, one battalion chief promotion, four captain promotions and eight driver-engineer promotions).
Response metrics and performance Chief Deporto cited a dispatch-to-en-route average of 1 minute 18 seconds and a first-arrival average of 4 minutes 11 seconds — figures he called a point of pride and that the department aims to maintain. Motor-vehicle collisions were the single largest call type with 913 responses, followed by “sick person” calls (755) and falls (746). He also said psychiatric/behavioral calls numbered 355 and that improvements in incident classification would likely increase recorded psychiatric-call counts in 2025.
Facilities and capital Chief Deporto said the department has acquired material for a planned training tower and is in the construction planning phase; staff projected breaking ground within months and estimated a one-year build time. He confirmed the department received legislative capital outlay of $1,500,000 to help fund the training facility.
Budget and staffing context Chief Deporto said the department uses a reserve apparatus to cover maintenance downtime and described recruitment efforts to reduce six current vacancies. He also described a recent increase from seven to eight front-line ambulances to meet call volume.
Commissioner questions and follow-up Commissioners asked for further context on the fire-loss numbers (for example, what percentage of assessed property value the losses represent) and for follow-up metrics related to ISO ratings and assessed valuations. Chief Deporto offered to provide comparative percentages at a later meeting.
The presentation closed with the commission thanking firefighters for response performance and training achievements.
