Sandoval County, New Mexico Hires New Fire Boss

BERNALILLO, N.M. (AP) -- Sandoval County has hired Jon Tibbetts as its new fire chief to head fire and emergency services.

Tibbetts, operations director for Albuquerque Ambulance for the past seven years, starts with the county Monday. He will earn $65,000 a year.

Sandoval County is creating a professional fire and EMS system, beginning with 24 paid emergency personnel.

Voters approved a quarter-cent sales tax to pay for 24-hour emergency medical staffing.

Tibbetts will coordinate fire and emergency response services to the county and pueblos within it, using county EMS personnel and more than 200 volunteers.

``Jon's hiring is another concrete step toward providing full-time, first response fire and emergency medical professionals on a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week basis,'' County Manager Debbie Hays said.