Behind the firefighters and emergency medical personnel responding across Reeves County is a four-person team responsible for keeping the vehicles, equipment and facilities they rely on ready for service.
Reeves County Emergency Services Districts Nos. 1 and 2 recently highlighted their Fleet & Facilities team, which maintains fire trucks, ambulances, quick-response vehicles and other support units for both districts.
The team includes Fleet & Facilities Manager Stephen Henson and Fleet & Facilities Specialists Jacobo Holguin, Lucas Martinez and Christopher Campos. Together, the four have 35 years of fleet maintenance experience.
District officials said there is rarely a typical day for the crew. Work can range from routine preventive maintenance to transporting critical equipment and supplies, including firefighting foam needed to support an industrial fire.
For Holguin, the work means supporting the emergency personnel who, in turn, support the public.
“I feel like I’m a first responder for the crew,” Holguin said. “We are there when they need us, just as they are for the community when they are needed.”
Henson said seeing emergency vehicles responding in the community brings a sense of purpose because his team helped ensure those units were maintained and ready for service.
The job also requires adapting quickly as priorities change. Martinez said emergency fleet maintenance differs from other mechanical work because a technician may not have the luxury of concentrating on a single project until it is finished. An urgent need can immediately change the day’s priorities.
Campos said the job has given him a better understanding of emergency vehicle operations and how first responders work, while Henson said his experience has reinforced how much responders and residents depend on the fleet team.
Holguin said another important part of the job is the team itself and the ability of its members to work well together.
Away from work, their interests range from fitness and video games to carpentry, motorcycles and home improvement projects. Holguin is also restoring a 1968 Chevrolet C10 pickup.
The team’s advice for people interested in becoming emergency vehicle technicians is to continue learning, embrace new challenges, remain positive and persevere when the work becomes difficult.
The districts said the team’s responsibilities frequently extend beyond normal business hours. Emergencies can happen at any time, requiring vehicles to remain operational nights, weekends and holidays.
While firefighters and EMS personnel are typically the most visible part of an emergency response, district officials said the Fleet & Facilities team plays an essential role behind the scenes by making sure responders have functioning vehicles and equipment when a call comes in.
