Town Leaders Said They Were Prepared for Floods. First Responders Disagree. by Abe Streep, photography by Cengiz Yar Co-published with Source New Mexico

Town Leaders Said They Were Prepared for Floods. First Responders Disagree. Three people died in Ruidoso on July 8, 2025, after dangerous floods swept through the New Mexico town. First responders say they were understaffed and inadequately equipped to respond to the flooding. by Abe Streep, photography by Cengiz Yar Co-published with Source New Mexico October 21, 2026, 5:55 am https://www.propublica.org/article/ruidoso-flood-emergency-response-water-rescue Town Leaders Said They Were Prepared for Flooding. First Responders Say They Were Understaffed and Poorly Equipped. Three people died in Ruidoso on July 8, 2025, after dangerous floods swept through the New Mexico town. Despite the tragedy, first responders say the village’s leadership continues to prioritize tourism at the expense of public safety. ProPublica reporter Abe Streep consulted seven emergency response experts outside Ruidoso to understand what went wrong. The tragedy “should be a clarion call” for officials to reevaluate how rescuers are deployed, one expert said. The Village of Ruidoso did not respond to detailed written questions about its emergency response, and it has not publicly released a report on rescue efforts during the flood. Reached by phone, the fire chief, Cade Hall, disputed our reporting but declined to provide specifics. Mayor Lynn Crawford has said protecting the village includes balancing public safety with tourism, the lifeblood of its economy.