That's according to Martin Vigil, Santa Fe County Office of Emergency Management Director and an Assistant Chief with the Santa Fe County Fire Department.

"Our rural populations really have an inherited strength," he said. "They tend to do well in adverse conditions … they've maintained those self-reliance skills passed down by our grandparents."

He pointed out that in other situations, like when Santa Fe County took a beating from snowstorms in 2005, there were far fewer calls for service from rural areas like Stanley and Chimayó, and more calls from within the city of Santa Fe.

"Calls for assistance were from transplant communities, people coming from out of state who were not used to mother nature at that level," he said.

He also said populations that are more isolated tend not to spread disease as much. The other bit of good news for the area, with regard to swine flu, or H1N1, is that it doesn't seem to be as severe a problem as officials feared.

"Currently, the picture is a little better than last week, when we had a lot of unknowns," he said. "It appears not to have the lethality markers that we've all been worried about."

As of Wednesday there were eight confirmed cases and 20 probable cases in 10 counties in New Mexico, according to a news release sent out by Deborah Busemeyer, communications director for the NM Department of Health. The cases range from infant to 57 year olds in nine counties, including one probable case in Bernalillo County, a 27 year-old male.

Despite H1N1's rapid spread, it affects most people more like seasonal influenza, including a fever of 100 degrees or higher, cough or sore throat, shortness of breath and possibly vomiting and nausea, according to health care officials.

The local response to the flu was somewhat minimal. The annual agricultural education day Kids, Kows and More was canceled on May 4; there was a special session on protecting one's self planned for May 6 by the village of Tijeras and hand sanitizer was purchased for Tijeras' town hall; and the Moriarty-Edgewood School District sent out letters to parents informing them about reducing the risk of flu, such as washing hands and covering coughs and sneezes with tissues or a sleeve.

The district's preparations were pretty practical.

"We talked with maintenance and made sure they have soap and paper towels," said Superintendent Karen Couch. "If we're telling our students to wash their hands, it doesn't make sense if there's not enough soap in the bathrooms"

She said that closing schools is not needed at this time, and it doesn't seem too likely in the near future. Until recently the Center for Disease Control was recommending schools close down for suspected or confirmed cases of H1N1, but is now only advising schools close down if enough faculty or students are absent to interfere with the school's ability to function.

Residents should still be vigilant, however, according to Busemeyer.

"This is a new virus and people do not have an immunity against this virus and the flu virus can change quickly," she said. "Even seasonal influenza kills 36,000 Americans every year."

She warned that a virus that seems mild now may not stay that way, and there has been talk of a possible resurgence of H1N1 later in the year.