VIDEO: Federal Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited Ruidoso on Tuesday, more than a month after floodwater tore through part of the city, destroying homes and killing three people. Secretary Noem joined local and state officials, touring one of the areas hardest hit, seeing things like homes with piles of debris and roads still covered in mud, now 42 days since the flood.
Ruidoso residents spoke after the visit from Secretary Noem. โI wish they wouldโve come right after it happened, you know, within a couple days of it happening,โ said Ruidoso resident Jeremiah Whisler. Village of Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford and the state Department of Homeland Security officials took part in the short tour. Noem and other officials did not address the media or take any questions.
Whisler is helping a family friend clean up debris. He said recovery has been slow, and they need help. โIn reality, it doesnโt look that bad, but then you see things like this where weโve got three vehicles on our property that donโt belong, we got two buildings on our property that floated up, thatโs wild, you know?โ said Whisler.
He said heโs even made a tent on the roof for him and his dog in case of extreme flooding and said he hopes Secretary Noemโs visit can help to get Ruidoso to a better place faster. โI really hope it does, I hope it wasnโt all just smoke and mirrors because that seems to be what a lot of the help is around here is just smoke and mirrors.โ
Another man that KRQE News 13 heard from, who visits Ruidoso at least once a year, said heโs glad to see the village isnโt being overlooked. โObviously needs as much help as possible because itโs overwhelming, the amount of cleanup is overwhelming, and so weโre just happy that the federal government is stepping in,โ said John DeFelice.
Secretary Noem also met in private with local leaders before leaving for a different event in southern New Mexico. According to a press release, on Tuesday evening, Secretary Noem announced $11.4 million in disaster relief funding for New Mexico. The Secretary said that this is in addition to the $3.1 million that was announced earlier this month, along with $2.9 million from President Donald Trumpโs disaster declarations.
