Fourteen year veteran of the Hobbs Fire Department (HFD) Mark Doporto has been named the department’s new chief. Chief Doporto assumed his new role on Monday, October 30.

A native of Hobbs, Doporto has been with the HFD since he started his career at the age of nineteen. A press release (PDF) issued by Meghan Mooney, Director of Communications for the City of Hobbs, states that during his tenure with the HPD Doporto has served as “Firefighter/EMT, Driver Engineer, Fire Inspector/Investigator, Fire Captain, and Deputy Fire Chief prior to his promotion to the Fire Chief position for the City of Hobbs.”

Through his career with the HPD the new chief has attained numerous certificates and accolades. They include “Haz-Mat Technician, SWAT team member, Certified Honor Guard, Fitness Coordinator, and a member of the World Champion Combat Team,” states the press release. Doporto is also a graduate of the Maddox Leadership Institute and serves on numerous community boards and committees.

About his new job Chief Doporto said, “I truly owe everything I am to this amazing organization. Hobbs Fire not only gave a chance to a 19-year-old kid with nothing but a dream of being a firefighter but also trained and awarded me every opportunity to obtain the Fire Chief position. I wholeheartedly feel I am a product of our community and the City of Hobbs Fire Department. I look forward to serving my community as the Fire Chief and continuing the tradition of Preservation, Education and Professionalism (PEP) to bring us into the next era.”

Hobbs City Manager Matty Gomez commends Doporto for leading “by example”. Gomez says that Dotorto is “known to be compassionate, trustworthy and extremely passionate” about the HFD, its future and the services the department provides for the City of Hobbs. “City leadership is confident in the selection of Mark Doporto as the next Fire Chief for the City of Hobbs,” states Gomez.