Hurley to Lease 'Jaws of Life' Equipment from Local Hospital

The town council voted to acquire extrication gear to outfit all volunteer fire departments in the county.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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The Hurley Town Council voted to lease extrication equipment, also known as the 'Jaws of Life,' from Gila Regional Medical Center during their regular meeting. Eloy Medina, the hospital's Emergency Medical Services director, said that Hurley's Fire Department was the only one in the county that did not have this critical equipment.

Why it matters

Access to 'Jaws of Life' extrication equipment is crucial for first responders to quickly free victims trapped in vehicle accidents and other emergencies. By leasing the gear from the local hospital, Hurley is ensuring all volunteer fire departments in the county are properly equipped to handle these types of incidents.

The details

The council approved the lease agreement with Gila Regional Medical Center for the 'Jaws of Life' equipment. Councilor Robert Candelaria abstained from the vote as he works as the county-owned hospital's director of information systems. The council also approved a new business license for Chili Charm, which will take over the former The Patio space, and a new policy manual for the Hurley Police Department drafted through Lexipol LLC.

  • The Hurley Town Council voted on the lease agreement during their regular meeting on Tuesday, February 12, 2026.

The players

Eloy Medina

The Emergency Medical Services director at Gila Regional Medical Center.

Robert Candelaria

A Hurley town councilor who abstained from the vote due to his role as the county-owned hospital's director of information systems.

Patricia Montoya

The owner of the new Chili Charm business that will take over the former The Patio space.

Kevin Vigil

The Hurley Police Chief who presented the department's new policy manual drafted through Lexipol LLC.

Archi Padilla

The president of the New Mexico Borderland Animal Rescue Coalition who plans to speak at an upcoming animal control ordinance workshop.

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What they’re saying

“So this way, it outfits all the volunteer fire departments with the extrication equipment.”

— Eloy Medina, Emergency Medical Services director, Gila Regional Medical Center (scdailypress.com)

“Everybody knows The Patio. We plan to keep it as original as possible — the yearly chile roasting and the restaurant, everything as original as possible.”

— Patricia Montoya, Owner, Chili Charm (scdailypress.com)

“It takes the legwork off myself [and] the town from having to make sure everything else is being updated, that we're on top of our policies — making sure that if something new comes out it gets implemented, that the language is correct.”

— Kevin Vigil, Police Chief, Hurley Police Department (scdailypress.com)

“We will be refuting every comment made during Councilor Cox's presentation that was untrue, misleading and factually incorrect.”

— Archi Padilla, President, New Mexico Borderland Animal Rescue Coalition (scdailypress.com)

What’s next

The council will hold a second animal control ordinance workshop on February 17, 2026 at 4 p.m. in the Hurley Community Center.

The takeaway

By leasing the 'Jaws of Life' equipment from the local hospital, Hurley is ensuring all volunteer fire departments in the county have access to this critical extrication gear, improving emergency response capabilities across the region.