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Mt. Taylor Interagency Hotshot Crew
The Mt. Taylor Interagency Hotshot Crew (Mt. Taylor IHC) was established in 2001 after the record breaking fire season of 2000. It is the only IHC on the Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands. The Mt. Taylor Ranger District is host to The Mt. Taylor Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC).
Type I crews are expected to be highly trained, physically fit, professional, efficient and equipped to handle a wide variety of tactical assignments. Being a hotshot takes considerable willpower, skill, tact, desire, teamwork and the will to keep going when others won't. This includes maintaining a "can do, will do attitude", while maintaining the highest safety standards possible. Review recruitment information.
Duty, Respect, Integrity
Mission
Develop and maintain a professional, wildland fire Type I Hotshot Crew organization that is highly trained, productive, motivated, successful and respected by all fire organizations. Crew personnel will accomplish this through effective communication and commitment to duty, respect, and integrity, with physical and moral courage.
Core Values
The primary mission of hotshot crews is to provide safe, mobile and highly trained crews for fire suppression and primary reinforcement during natural disaster incident operations.
Mt. Taylor Interagency Hotshot Crew History
The crew was initially considered a Type 1 trainee crew and worked hard to become a fully certified Hotshot Crew. The crew was in trainee status for three fire seasons before being officially certified as a Type 1 Hotshot Crew at the end of the 2003 fire season. The crew is comprised of twenty well trained and highly motivated fire fighters. Their appointments range from permanent GS-0462 full time, career conditional 13/13, to 1039 seasonal. Mt. Taylor IHC is Type 1 classified and is available as a national resource.
| Name | Timeframe |
|---|---|
| Joe Julian | 2001 (Acting) |
| Joe Julian | 2002-2005 |
| Manuel Martinez | 2006-2007 (Acting) |
| Brian Drinville | 2007-2009 |
| Eddie Baca | 2010 (Acting) |
| Cathleen Lowe | 2011-13 |
| Christian Brashears | 2013- |
| Howard Kenny | -2024 |
Contact Information
| Name | Address | Phone | Fax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mt. Taylor IHC Cibola National Forest |
1800 Lobo Canyon Road Grants, NM 87020 |
505-287-8833 | 505-287-4924 |
| Name/Title | Phone | |
|---|---|---|
| Howard Kenny Superintendent |
howard.kenny@usda.gov | 505-287-6761 (Office) 928-730-8261 (Cell) |
| Eric McKenna Assistant Superintendent |
eric.mckenna@usda.gov | 617-833-5691 (Office) |
| Keith Bedonie Assistant Superintendent |
keith.bedonie@usda.gov | 505-290-0784 (Cell) |
| Vernon Jackson Squad Leader |
vernon.jackson@usda.gov | 505-287-6771 (Cell) |
| Kodi Leslie Squad Leader |
kodi.leslie@usda.gov | 505-287-6770 (Office) 719-937-1324 (Cell) |
| Matthew Baca Squad Leader |
matthew.baca@usda.gov | - |