FOSM Members/Volunteers
Andrew:Thank you for the update. FYI - our FOSM trail maintenance crew rarely if ever have a need to access the Guard Station as we maintain our own tools which we keep at home. We begin our projects with a meeting outdoors in the north parking lot at SRD and proceed directly to the project location in the Sandias which is always outdoors. Thanks for informing us of this situation and hope the situation is brought under control rapidly.Bob Lowder, Crew LeaderFOSM Trail Maintenance Crew
Sent from my iPhone
On May 15, 2026, at 7:21 PM, Sam Beard via Volunteers_fosm <volunteers_fosm@mailman.swcp.com> wrote:
FOSM Members/Volunteers
Hello FOSM Volunteers,
Please see the email from Andrew Ellis, SRD Wildlife Biologist, tells us not to enter the FOSM Guard Station.
It appears that we should just cancel all our projects until the area has been cleaned and disinfected.
Sam
From: Ellis, Andrew - FS, NM <andrew.ellis@usda.gov>
Sent: Friday, May 15, 2026 11:29 AM
To: Sam Beard <samgbeard@msn.com>; Joelle Hertel <joelle.h5@gmail.com>
Cc: Coambs, Sandra - FS, NM <sandra.coambs@usda.gov>; Born, Kenneth - FS, NM <kenneth.born@usda.gov>
Subject: FOSM Guard House - avoid until we can address the rodent waste.
Hey all, I just sent a similar message to the folks working on Tijeras Pueblo for some of their spaces.
I know that we have been talking about getting the FOSM guard station cleaned but until I can either get you all supplies and safety equipment or arrange a professional cleaning, do not expose yourself to hantavirus - I will be the one to say No – do not clean it until we can provide bleach and other safety equipment. Please use extreme caution when going into the guard house in the meantime, or preferably avoid this space entirely. I know this puts a damper on your access to tools in there. If we cannot get the space cleaned/repaired to prevent rodent entry I will work with you all to figure out a time for a deep cleaning and making some repairs to prevent rodent entry in the next 2 weeks.
If you are really in a pinch and need access asap, just let me or Sandra know! I am sorry I have not been able to get to this sooner; I have been slammed and chasing down some key time sensitive tasks.
Hantavirus has like a 60% fatality rate for healthy people when it isn’t detected during the early body ache stages – this rarely happens and it isn’t until it develops in the lungs that most people/doctors figure it out. Survivors often have severe disabilities.
Please take this risk seriously and pass this message on to the other members of FOSM.
I deeply value you all and your work. Your safety is important to me – I am working to get either a contract or purchase of supplies to help with this asap. I am waiting for follow-up on our pest company as we speak.
<Outlook-Forest Ser.png>
Andrew Ellis
District Wildlife BiologistForest Service
Sandia Ranger District
Mountainair Ranger District
Cell: 1-505-607-5794
Office: 1-505-281-3304
Andrew.Ellis@USDA.Gov
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