October 2026 PREP Newsletter

Welcome to the October issue of The PREP Report where you will find a review of recent and ongoing PREP activities, a preview of upcoming events, and another “PREP Recommends” piece, this month focusing on the New Mexico Forestry Division, an important state agency with a wealth of useful resources.

As always, we urge you to visit the PREP website for more about our organization, its mission, and its growing collection of informational resources.



https://PREPalliance.org

PREP shares initial survey results,

extends response period through Oct. 31

Approximately 35 Placitans attended “Public Perception of Fire Danger & Other Emergencies,” PREP's September 15 Community Briefing, to get a preview of the opinions expressed by early respondents to the “Emergency Preparedness in Placitas” online survey. After the initial presentation, they broke up into discussion groups to review what they had heard and to suggest future PREP priorities. Not surprisingly, the risk of wildfire was the dominant concern.

For a report about the survey and the meeting, read Rodd Cayton’s NM.News article, “Wake-up call in Placitas: Survey reveals critical gaps in emergency planning” at

https://nm.news/2026/09/21/placitas-prep-2/

The Emergency Preparedness Survey response period has been extended through October 31. Although approximately 180 Placitans have responded so far, PREP would like to get a broader sample. If you live in Placitas and haven’t already completed and submitted the survey, we strongly encourage you to do so:



https://prepalliance.org/survey/



PREP teams up with Sandoval County Fire & Rescue in observance of National Fire Prevention Month

October is National Fire Prevention Month and Placitans are invited to attend a Fire Department Open House on Saturday, October 10. The event runs 10am-2pm at Sandoval County Fire Station No. 41, 463 NM-165, next door to the Placitas Community Library.



A main attraction will be learning to use a real fire extinguisher. Attendees will get a chance to meet the Fire & Rescue personnel who serve Placitas, and tours of fire engines and other emergency equipment will be offered. PREP board members and volunteers will be handing out information about emergency preparedness, defensible space, and more.

Fire Prevention Month is a time dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of fire safety. The annual observance originated in the early 20th century and traces back to one of the most devastating fires in U.S. history, the Great Chicago Fire of October 8–10, 1871. That disaster destroyed over 3.3 square miles of the city, left 100,000 people homeless, and claimed the lives of an estimated 300 individuals. In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge issued the first National Fire Prevention Week proclamation, aligning it with the anniversary of the Chicago fire.

More Upcoming PREP Events

“Go Bag: What is it? Have it Ready when Wildfire Approaches” - Tuesday, February 23, 2027, 7pm at Las Placitas Presbyterian Church.



“Fire Mitigation, Defensible Space, & IBHS Standards” - Tuesday, May 18, 2027, 7pm at Las Placitas Presbyterian Church.

PREP gets out into the Placitas community

PREP Recommends: New Mexico Forestry Division

Last month we highlighted the Fire Adapted New Mexico Learning Network (FACNM) and several of their publications.

This month we are taking a closer look at the New Mexico Forestry Division.

Established in 1957 to address the critical needs of our state’s forests and watersheds, the Forestry Division is a component of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD). The Division’s responsibilities include fire suppression on 43 million acres of all non-federal, non-municipal, and non-tribal lands in New Mexico and training and employing approximately 300 emergency wildland firefighters.

NMFD’s extensive library of publications can be found at

https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/forestry-publications/

We especially recommend “Living with Fire – A Homeowner’s Guide (New Mexico),” available in both Spanish and English, and “Ready, Set, Go!” Links to these booklets can be found near the bottom of that page.

PREP heartily recommends the Forestry Division Monthly Newsletter, which is sent out as an email. (The theme of the Sept. 2026 issue, related to post-fire restoration of burned lands, is “After the Smoke Clears.”) You can find links to back issues and a subscription button at 

https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/forestry-news/

NMFD also provides Wildfire Alerts via email. We suggest you subscribe to them at

https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/sfd/sign-up-for-active-wildfire-updates/

The Placitas Resilience & Emergency Preparedness Alliance is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors. The directors are supported by an Advisory Council, a New Mexico Counties grant-funded communication and outreach consultant, and a number of less official volunteers. We are always looking for additional individuals interested in supporting our work.

To learn more, email us at info@prepalliance.org

PREP Appreciates Funding Support from

And from a number of generous donors who value our work!