Farmington resident mobilizes equipment and funds for second flood recovery effort

Two consecutive flood events have reset the recovery timeline for northern New Mexico communities. Christopher Self has established a local operation to manage the physical and logistical demands of that rebuilding process.

Self founded Wild Horse Valley Strong to coordinate relief efforts in Farmington. The group currently focuses on procuring materials and arranging heavy machinery for cleanup sites. Self stated that the mood remains optimistic despite the repetitive nature of the work. "It’s gloomy down there, but there’s a lot of optimism and hope, and that’s one thing I’m trying to bring is that hope," Self said.

The organization manages a specific list of required goods. These items include rakes, shovels, and protective gear for laborers. The group also needs food trucks to sustain volunteer shifts and diesel fuel to power cleanup equipment. Self noted that volunteers are currently out of pocket for their own fuel costs. "They’re spending their own money to come down here with diesel and help us," Self said.

Self also secured lodging supplies for displaced families. He purchased mattresses and box springs that he had intended to resell from his previous career in the hotel industry. He donated these items to the nonprofit Bedz4Kidz. Steve Stucker, a former KOB meteorologist, confirmed that the organization is shipping queen-size beds to victims in the Four Corners region. Stucker explained that most relief donations consist of twin mattresses, making the queen-size units a distinct benefit for couples or parents sharing a room.

"We bought hundreds of beds for this relief effort, but we’ve bought almost exclusively twins, and this being a queen sized means a couple, a husband and wife or a mom that co-sleeps with a child or two are going to get a nice big bed," Stucker said. Stucker also credited Self with demonstrating the cooperative spirit of the region. "Everybody’s pitching in, and I just love to see the community helping themselves and helping each other," Stucker said.

Self indicated that the group requires more hands to complete the cleanup work. He observed that the majority of residents are handling the labor themselves. "We need the manpower. 90% of the community right now is out there doing it themselves and this is again the second time they’re having to do this," Self said.

The National Weather Service determined that at least 1,500 homes sustained damage during the initial flooding. The data provides a baseline for the scale of the current recovery operation in Farmington.