News
Raphael D’Amato is leading Luna’s Wildfire Resiliency Training Center
Editor’s note: On April 6, 2022, the Hermit’s Peak Fire began as a result of the Las Dispensas prescribed fire on the Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest. By April 9, 2022, the Calf Canyon fire had been detected but was not officially declared a wildfire until April 19. These two wildfires merged to create the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire on April 22, 2022.
This wildfire has been identified as the worst disaster in New Mexico history. The immediate land and property destruction has been devastating, and the long-term impact of this catastrophe could potentially reshape northern New Mexico communities through the significant loss of livelihoods, cultural connections and way of life.
Luna is implementing a Wildfire Resiliency Training Center that will provide the local community with the skills they need to restore the land they know and love. Using local personnel will not only provide a committed, on-site workforce, but also will make it possible for families whose income has been incinerated to develop alternative livelihoods, providing the means to remain in the community to rebuild their homes and property.
Luna Community College recently hired Raphael D’Amato as its Wildfire Resiliency Training Center Director. The following is a one-to-one interview with D’Amato.
What is your official title?
Director of the Wildfire Resiliency Training Center.
When did you start here at Luna?
I began on Nov. 6, 2023.
How have your first weeks on the job been like?
My first weeks on the job have been wonderful. The work done by everyone involved prior to my taking this position is nothing less than remarkable! I’m very encouraged by all the help and what I see as “green lights” from everyone at Luna as well as from all the collaborating/partnering agencies.
What do you like the most about Luna and your job here?
The people! Their enthusiasm, their support and especially their sincerity to see this endeavor succeed and offer any help towards that end.
What are your general plans for the center, short term and long-term goals?
General plan: regarding wildfires (and all the consequences that accompanies them) I see it as working towards an improvement “before, during and after” fire.
…i.e.: “Preparation, Mitigation, Restoration.”
Short-term: get folks and students “on-board” to improve understanding, training, recruitment, qualifications and getting those folks into paying positions where they can actually help with every phase; before during and after fires.
Midterm: better communication and coordination between all agencies, partners and personnel, especially during the emergency response aspect.
Long-term: succeed in making a noticeable, quantifiable difference for New Mexicans communities towards better preparation, better mitigation and better restoration. I see this as more a “circle” than a straight line (i.e.: better restoration now, following the HPCC fire, will circle-back towards better preparation for the next “tantrum” (for lack of a better term) that Mother Nature throws us.
Can you tell us a little bit of yourself and your background and your experience with wildfires?
My principal background is in specialty design, fine woodworking, architecture and engineering (as well as music). I made a mid-life lateral career shift to computer network engineering (not a huge leap, since engineering is basically engineering) and I worked in that field in France and the Middle East for about 7 years.
I moved to New Mexico in 2005 and realized the serious need to be part of fire service (…I thought, “Either join and be helpful, or get kicked-out” during fires, so I signed-up).
I’ve served as a volunteer firefighter for San Miguel County for 12 years including as Chief of Rowe FD for better than 6 years. I also had 6 years with New York Fire as a structural “interior” firefighter. That was invaluable experience, which I was able to bring back to New Mexico and share with our firefighters here.
Shortly after I had just “cut my teeth” on the essential basics of firefighting (structural, wildland and all other normal emergency response). I was thrown head first into the Tres Lagunas Fire in my district. It quickly went from our initial volunteer response to a full-blown Type-1 incident. I learned a lot in short order (as one would when the fire is rapidly approaching one’s home). Besides seeing everyone working day and night without respite, I was thoroughly impressed seeing over 1,000 people from different agencies work so seamlessly together.
When do you think you will be ready to offer classes for students?
Classes are already scheduled (now in partnership with State Fire and USFS) beginning as soon as this December and throughout the following months (as is normally done prior to our historical “fire season”). And we plan to extend all those trainings to be offered throughout the year, instead of “cramming” every year before the wildfire season is upon us (which means a lot of training during the holidays…which is not always convenient for folks).
What credentials or certifications will be available for students?
To begin, the training certifications will align with all fire and emergency service partners (through mutual collaboration) as well as additional “extra trainings” we at Luna are already setting up. The details of the “end-goal” (meaning higher education accreditation) are presently in progress and will align with the goals and positions that are and will be available towards our (and our partners) goals with respective job position placement.
All this towards preparation, mitigation and restoration. And as far as the students are concerned, the goal is to recruit, train, certify, and see them earn credits towards diplomas in the wide range of environmental science and fire science. And not just for “employment” positions, but more importantly, for “leadership roles” (be it private sector or government positions). We have good leaders working on this already, but more “hands-on” leadership is definitely a must in my humble opinion.
Any final message you would like to relay to the public?
We are truly doing this to get everyone involved to help in any way they feel their efforts will be best utilized be if front line, upper management/leadership, and/or community participants.
Reach-out to me and Luna. This is in everyone’s interest and every single person can bring something to the table. I want to see every community member find something here where they could best give their input, efforts and experience, so we can all become part of the solution for the betterment of all. The sum of our efforts together will definitely be greater than the individual parts.