Socorro Fire Department restores assistant chief position as staffing improves

The Socorro Fire Department has reinstated its long‑dormant assistant fire chief position as staffing levels rise and the department prepares for an eventual leadership transition, Assistant Fire Chief Daniel Pacheco said in an interview Sunday.

Pacheco, who stepped into the role after the city reached six-person shifts for the first time in years, said the position has always existed in department protocols but remained vacant because the agency never met minimum staffing requirements. Additional personnel provided by Socorro County helped push the department over that threshold.

“The mayor allowed us to open it back up,” Pacheco said. “It really helps, especially with the county being able to provide us with three extra guys. That’s already bumped it up to get us those six-man shifts again.”

The restored position is intended to ease administrative pressure on shift captains, improve day-to-day supervision and allow for more consistent training. Pacheco said captains have long carried a heavy workload, balancing emergency response with inspections, compliance duties and administrative tasks.

“It’ll allow me to free up my time to help the shift captains actually train more with their guys, pay attention more, be more involved,” he said. “We want them doing their job instead of being tied away to something more admin that I can handle.”

The staffing boost also helps the department manage its demanding call volume, which includes frequent medical transfers to Albuquerque hospitals, trips that can leave the city short on available units.

“We were so understaffed that we couldn’t take care of Socorro,” Pacheco said. “We’re always running calls, then running transfers, then doing training, then inspections. There’s a lot that goes into it.”

Pacheco said he is now on call around the clock, stepping into more administrative responsibilities as the department prepares for Fire Chief Lawrence Baca’s anticipated retirement. Baca, who has served nearly 30 years, is expected to step down within the next year.

“That’s the plan,” Pacheco said. “I’m getting into position now so that when the time comes, I can really learn, take in everything, and pick up where he left off so there’s no delay in service.”

The department is also nearing completion of long-awaited station renovations and recently secured a fire grant to replace extrication tools that have been in service for more than 15 years. The new equipment is on order.

“We want to stay up to date and in the game when it comes to life safety,” Pacheco said. “Our community deserves the best response and the best training.”

He said he credited Baca and regional partners, including other fire departments such as department 411 in Albuquerque, for helping the department secure resources despite limited local funding.

“Without them and without Chief, we wouldn’t be where we’re at,” Pacheco said. “I plan on pushing even more and leaving it better than when I leave, so the next guy coming in has it that much easier.”

Pacheco said the department’s work is constant, but the recent changes position it for continued progress.

“Life at the department doesn’t stop,” he said. “But we’re excited about where we’re headed.”