One Berino family still questioning if firefighters had the resources to save their mobile home that burned down in early December 2006. The Delgado family lost everything they owned, including two vehicles to the fire. Since then, they've been staying with neighbors and living off donations.
"Alot of people from everywhere have given us clothes, blankets, and food. So we've been doing it with that," said Leslie Delgado.
The Delgado family is still in disbelief everything they owned vanished during the fire. Firefighters who responded to the call recall the home fully engulfed when they arrived.
After the fact there were talks about there not being fire hydrants on Wharten Road in rural Berino. It turns out, there is one about 300 feet away from where the mobile home once stood.
Dona Ana County's fire marshall, Paul Chavez said he was unaware there was one so close to the home, but that wouldn't have made a difference. He said there was no way in saving the home because it was fully engulfed when volunteer firefighters arrived.
"That goes back to communication with the fire department. Fire departments are all volunteers and I could understand, but they really need to look at where all the hydrants are at, and realize there are more hydrants out there that can be used," said Pete Gomez, water operator for Desert Sands Mutual Domestic Water Association.
Chavez said firefighters have mapped hydrants for more than 90 water associations, but not all of them. In some instances, they depend on addresses given to them by the water associations.
However, Chavez said he's working with the county planning department to get hydrants mapped for all areas of the county.
County ordinance requires hydrants every 1,000 feet in new developments. There are no requirements for existing developments, and some have been there since the 1960s.
Desert Sands Mutual Domestic Water Association and other water associations in Berino rely on federal grants to fund new hydrants. Currently, a project is under way to add more water lines and 15 more hydrants.
Wednesday the Delgado's received a check for $4,478 from the Gadsden Independent School District.
is getting back on their feet after administrators from the Gadsden Independent School District hand them a check for $4,478.
Students and teachers at Gadsden High, where two of the Delgado children attend, helped raise the money through raffle tickets for cell phones.
The Delgado family found out about the help Tuesday, and said they weren't expecting so much money, and plan to buy a new mobile home with the money.
