Matt Clark, a finalist for Doña Ana County fire chief, outlined his qualifications and a data-driven approach to meeting the county’s emergency-service needs during an external stakeholder session hosted by Doña Ana Fire Rescue and livestreamed to the public. Clark, who said he has served as fire chief in Williston, North Dakota, since 2021, reviewed his 21‑plus year career in public safety, academic background and experience pursuing federal grants such as AFG and SAFER.

Clark said he would measure the county’s 14‑minute response goal using the 90th percentile rather than averages so that improvement work raises service for most residents instead of only improving a mean. “If we try to work on and improve the 9 minutes and bring that down, we'll be improving that level of care for 90 percent of the community versus only doing it for 50 percent,” Clark said during his presentation.

Why this matters: Doña Ana County is planning significant growth and infrastructure projects cited in the county’s strategic materials. Clark and community speakers tied decisions about new stations, staffing and equipment to measurable baselines, grant funding and coordinated regional partnerships — all elements that affect response times, insurance ratings and public safety outcomes.

Key details from the presentation

- Experience and education: Clark described service as a volunteer and wildland firefighter, active‑duty Air Force and assignments with Ramstein Fire Department, then a decade in North Dakota where he became Williston fire chief (since 2021). He listed an EdD, an MBA, an MPA and an executive leadership certificate in progress.

- Data and response-time metrics: Clark argued averages can mask underserved areas and said the county should use ninetieth‑percentile metrics when setting targets (the county’s stated goal is a 14‑minute response). He displayed station‑radius maps and identified coverage gaps that will matter as development proceeds.

- EMS transition: Clark said a transition to full ALS/paramedic staffing is achievable but cautioned that “if you want to do it right” it will take roughly 3–4 years to train staff, build instructor capacity and change department culture. He said partnerships with neighboring agencies will be necessary while training and recruitment proceed.

- Recruitment pipeline: To reduce turnover and buy in locally, Clark recommended building career‑technical education pathways (high‑school firefighter/EMT programs and paramedicine at local colleges) and using local hires as the primary source of new staff rather than relying solely on lateral hires.

- Grants and capital planning: Clark described building a multiyear capital‑improvement plan (apparatus replacement cycles, mapped station needs) and pursuing federal grants (AFG, SAFER) to offset local costs.

Community questions and Clark’s responses

The session included a moderated Q&A. Tara Winter of the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico described the foundation’s rapid disaster‑relief fund work and partnership with first responders: “Really that work would not be done without partnership with our local government, as well as Office of Emergency Management, and our first responders,” she said. Christina Ainsworth, director of community development, said growth in the southern part of the county — including industrial park and master‑planned residential projects — makes emergency‑service planning urgent.

On recruitment, Clark said local pipeline programs create longer retention than hiring lateral recruits: “When you build, train, and grow individuals locally in the community, you buy them into the community.” On EMS staffing he said the shift to full paramedic‑level crews can be done, but that it is a culture and training effort that will likely require three to four years to implement properly.

On volunteer integration and mutual aid, Clark said agreements must be exercised through joint training and response drills, and he emphasized volunteers’ institutional knowledge. On rural coverage he recommended distinguishing urban and rural service zones and using data (90th‑percentile response times, incident frequency and unit‑commitment time) to prioritize which districts should receive career staffing.

Clark also described communication measures he would bring: monthly dashboards and quarterly reports to increase transparency, scheduled “chief chat” office hours for residents and more outreach for underserved populations. He endorsed mobile integrated health/co‑responder models (similar to Las Cruces’ Project Light) as a way to reduce low‑acuity 911 demand and improve follow‑up, and said he would research local programs further.

Training facility and readiness

Clark said the Portland Drive training complex supports basic firefighter 1/2 JPRs and live‑fire props but may need enhancements for hazmat and technical rescue training as county needs grow.

Transparency and decision making

Clark said he would use baseline performance data to justify requests for stations, staffing and equipment and that he expects budget requests to go through the county’s formal approval processes. “I would much rather it go to the board of commission and go through the approval process to make sure that I'm allocating the funds appropriately,” Clark said.

What Clark said about culture and mental health

Clark described a “strong and safe” culture as one where members can bring problems to leadership and receive help without punitive consequences. He urged removing stigma around mental‑health needs in the fire service and said leaders should make clear that seeking help is allowed and supported.

Next steps

The session closed with Clark thanking participants and reiterating his interest in the position and in moving to Doña Ana County if selected. Doña Ana Fire Rescue organizers ended the livestream; no formal hiring decision was announced during the session.

Ending note: The finalist session focused on measurable baselines, a multi‑year EMS transition and partnerships across county, municipal and nonprofit actors. Community input — including questions about Project Light, training capacity and how tax revenues are budgeted — remained central to the conversation.