Horizon FD gets major boost
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The Horizon City fire department is starting the new year with eight full-time firefighters in addition to its volunteer force. Perhaps no one has seen the department grow more than current chief, Kris Menendez.
When Menendez started as a volunteer firefighter in 1991, he was just 15 years old. He's witnessed many changes in the past three decades: the community's rapid growth, technology, resources, and the number of calls.
"Last year we responded to more than four thousand calls. The year I started, there were only 300," says Menendez. With a new ladder truck on the way, he is looking forward to working with his new crew. Thanks to new funding, there are now eight firefighters and EMTs, two of them women.
"We're family-oriented, loving to the community, and this department will do whatever they need to do to serve the community - they're here 24/7, and one of the best trained in the area," he adds.
When they're not fighting fires, there are emergency calls, ongoing training, upkeep of facilities, and community outreach - including at schools. Menendez says he was inspired as a young boy, and hopes that excitement carries on for the next generation.
