Public safety is at risk!
Our firefighters are doing more with less… now more than ever. As our mountain communities grow, demands on emergency services soar, putting public safety at risk.
Consolidating Elk Creek, Inter-Canyon, and North Fork Fire Districts improves public safety through shared resources and improved operational efficiencies.
Keep our mountain communities safe.
YES, for more full-time firefighters to protect our community and keep response times low.
YES, for increased volunteer recruitment and retention.
YES, to give our firefighters the equipment and training they need.
YES, to make our mountain communities safer.
“We represent career firefighters (Local 4710), and we say Yes to Consolidation. Our volunteer colleagues will tell you the same. We all know that working together as a united front is what this community needs as we face a growing and aging population and an ever-increasing threat of potentially catastrophic wildfire. This is why 7D, 7E, and 7F are each an easy “Yes” for every one of us.”
— Elk Creek Fire Fighters Local 4710 https://coloradocommunitymedia.com/2023/10/24/letter-why-we-say-yes-to-consolidation/
The Canyon Courier published two op eds regarding consolidation. There are some outrageous claims we feel we must address:
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FACT: nothing will change in the immediate future while the consolidated district works to hire more firefighter/paramedics. Once personnel are hired, the entire district will benefit from additional full-time, on-duty firefighter/paramedics ready to quickly respond to emergencies from newly staffed stations.
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FACT: for most homeowners, the additional amount will come to...less than $1 per day. You can put in your home's newly assessed value and calculate more precisely using the tax calculator at mountainfireresources.com. For the average home in our area, it comes to $8-14/month.
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FACT: while the administrative functions will eventually all move to what is now Inter-Canyon Fire Station 3 near Windy Point, fire and EMS will absolutely remain in Conifer. Station 2 in Pine Junction is planned to become a fully-staffed station, and an ambulance will remain at Station 1, plus there will be fully staffed ambulances at Windy Point and in Buffalo Creek.
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FACT: the consolidated district will continue to be overseen by a group of residents elected by fellow residents, will still hold monthly public meetings, will still be subject to the same state laws for Title 32 special districts, and will still have to pass yearly financial audits. There is no loss of local control, neither the county nor the state are taking over our fire districts.
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FACT: career staff and volunteers in all 3 districts are IN FAVOR of consolidation because this will make our districts safer, and provide more safety equipment for our volunteers. There will not be "additional layers of bureaucracy" because the firefighter/paramedics being hired are those titled positions such as Battalion Chief. Did you know that all of our Chiefs and PIOs are firefighter/paramedics? They go out on calls, same as the career staff and volunteers - there is no bureaucracy, just chain of command, and everyone pulls double-duty.
Recruitment and retention: ECFPD has a program to provide full coverage of tuition for any current EMT who chooses to go through additional training to become a paramedic. The Inter-Canyon Fire Board of Directors has a committee on this subject alone and works with Chief Shirlaw to address the challenges of finding and keeping volunteers. One of the problems our districts face is that we don't offer competitive salaries, this mill levy will allow us to give well-deserved pay raises to help retain current personnel and recruit the best new hires to protect our homes.
Vote YES on all of the Elk Creek Fire, Inter-Canyon Fire, and North Fork Fire ballot measures to approve consolidation so we can help keep our mountain communities safer by being better prepared for increasing call volumes, an aging population, and our high wildfire risk.
Thank you!
CBS Denver
Jeffco voters being asked to consolidate 3 fire districts into 1
Vote YES on Consolidation to improve public safety for our mountain communities.
Endorsed by Elk Creek Firefighters, Inter-Canyon Firefighters, and North Fork Firefighters.
Both volunteer and career staff from all three fire districts support consolidation. Why? Read on…
Firefighters know we are stronger together
Per the Cooperative Services Feasibility Study, the majority of volunteers from the three fire districts favor consolidation, and the members of the Elk Creek Professional Fire Fighters Local 4170 are in 100% support of consolidation. These volunteers and staff members know that consolidation means better and faster emergency response to the community for which they so deeply care, and where some of them live.
These volunteer and career firefighters know that all three districts must work together because they see and experience the increase in demand for services across all three districts every day. This is because:
Our population is both growing and aging, increasing demand for calls.
It’s estimated that our areas combined will experience a 20%+ increase in population by 2030.
Patients 65 years and older are 3x more likely to access local emergency medical services than other age groups.
Approximately 1/3 of 911 calls are co-occurring, and the firefighters know we need to increase staffing to maintain a high level of response when minutes count.
Consolidation will IMPROVE staffing and response time
Consolidation will allow more full-time, 24/7 staffing of THREE fire stations, not just one.
Our mountain community is both a growing and aging population. This means calls for service are, and will continue to, increase. Three staffed stations spread across the district will allow faster and more efficient responses. It is also not uncommon for 911 calls to come in on top of each other, at the same time. While the districts already provide back-up for one other, the new streamlined dispatch system means every responder in the new district, both staff and volunteer, will hear the call at the same time. Response times will be improved on 2nd and 3rd out calls due to not having to wait for dispatch to tone out second and third departments for mutual aide.
Volunteer response will look like what it has been – volunteers will still be relied upon to respond to their respective stations and respond to emergency calls the same way that they are right now. The difference will be that volunteers will receive ALL calls from all areas of the district, allowing a faster response since they will not have to wait to hear a request for mutual aid.
Meanwhile, fulltime, 24-hour staffing will be more robust and more available. The tentative plan is to move the headquarters station to the current Inter-Canyon Station 3 area. The bulk of Elk Creek’s calls happen in Aspen Park or response area 4-1. (King Soopers lays in the middle of response area 4-1.) The current Elk Creek station 1 is 4.7 miles to King Soopers. The current Inter-Canyon Station 3 is 4.0 miles to King Soopers – indeed, slightly closer.
The Conifer Wildland Division will tentatively be housed at what is the currently Elk Creek Station 1. While EMS is not the primary responsibility of the Wildland Division, several of the members ARE trained in EMS, and it is not uncommon for the Module to assist with EMS calls. They have often been called upon for multiple causality incidents or to assist with hike-outs to injured recreationists in the many recreational areas in our district.
There will be two more 24/7 staffed stations, one in Pine and one in the current North Fork district, again, reducing response times to these areas.
This change will not happen overnight, and operations will NOT be impacted in a negative way
From an operational standpoint, the change to a larger coverage area will be a slow and strategic one. The current staff of Elk Creek Fire responders will NOT suddenly be responsible for responding to 400 square miles. On January 1, 2024, operations will look as they always have, until the appropriate infrastructure and personnel are in place to support the changes. Again, this will be slow and strategic. North Fork volunteers will still respond to their area, and Inter-Canyon volunteers will still respond to theirs. Streamlined dispatch will take some time to develop, as dispatch also cannot change overnight, and this will take place in appropriate timing with the building-out of more staffed stations. Once other stations become staffed 24/7, dispatch areas will change accordingly as we work toward becoming a fully integrated Conifer Fire. While administratively, things will change more quickly, the outside operations will not look much different to the public right away. The change will be done in the way that best takes care of the districts – again, strategically and tactically.
Career/Union firefighters and volunteer firefighters work together and are on the same team
Members of the Local 4710 fully support the volunteer firefighter ranks, and they support creating more jobs in the community – potentially for these volunteers. Many of the volunteers who come up through their training at Elk Creek, Inter-Canyon, and North Fork love this work – and this community – enough to want to do it full time. In fact, over 60% of Elk Creek’s current career line and administrative staff came from the volunteer ranks, and 100% of Inter-Canyon career staff came from the volunteer ranks. These members loved their experience in this community, in fire and EMS, and with the leadership and staff of the fire departments so much that they chose to leave their full-time jobs and dedicate their lives to serving the emergency needs of this community.
Volunteers will remain an important part of the consolidated district
Career and volunteer staff have always, and will continue to, work side by side at Elk Creek Fire, and would continue to do so throughout the new consolidated districts including in the areas now covered by Inter-Canyon Fire and North Fork Fire. Consolidation promises a significant expansion in our volunteer base, as pooled resources can better recruit and retain volunteers.
In fact, the Cooperative Services Feasibility Study by AP Triton (see page 148 - 149), conducted to ascertain the feasibility of consolidation found that:
Even after consolidation, 90% of the organization will still be comprised of volunteer personnel.
Furthermore, the study found that the majority of volunteers from the three fire districts favored consolidation.
(This study, along with other facts and resources, can be found by going to the links at the bottom of the Mountain Fire Resources page.)
A consolidated district will allow current and new volunteers to volunteer their time across current district lines, thus utilizing volunteers more efficiently and allowing them to receive and answer an emergency call no matter in which district they reside.
Career staff AND volunteers are needed as we grow
The consolidated district is committed to the continued recruitment and retention of quality fire and EMS volunteers, as they always have been. Volunteers are, and will always be, a treasured, vital, and necessary part of emergency response in this community.
24/7 paid staffing is, however, critical to the community for three main reasons:
Response time
ALS (Advance Life Support) certified capabilities
Consistent staffing (volunteerism has decreased nationally)
Response time:
A recent report by NPR discussed the impact declining volunteerism – a national problem – has on response times, saying “people may find themselves waiting ‘45 minutes for a fire truck to show up when their house is on fire’ said Steve Hirsch, head of the National Volunteer Fire Council, or they may be stuck for more than half an hour during a medical emergency when every second counts.”
“People have to understand that if they don't go out and volunteer, that could happen,” said Hirsch.
ALS (Advance Life Support) certified capabilities:
Over 50% of 911 calls in the districts are for medical emergencies. A growing and aging community such as the Conifer area needs fulltime access to prompt 911 medical care that includes Advanced Life Support (ALS) capable staff and equipment. (There are many life-saving procedures and medications that can ONLY be given by ALS capable Paramedics, as well as important comfort measures such as pain control.) For example, in neighboring Evergreen, while structure fire response is made up of volunteers, Evergreen Fire staffs two stations with 24/7 paid ALS Paramedics to ensure the community’s emergency medical needs are met.
Both ALS (Advanced Life Support) Paramedics and BLS (Basic Life Support) EMTs are critical components in the EMS system for this community. A 2019 study by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians pointed out that EMS volunteers are mostly certified at the EMT/Basic Life Support level (over 80%). It is far less common for volunteers to be certified at the ALS/Paramedic level (the time and financial commitment to obtain this certification is significant.) Along with our very capable EMT volunteers and staff, it is critical that ALS staff is available to our community, and that means hiring more paid, full-time staff.
Consistent staffing:
Consolidation promises a significant expansion in our volunteer base, and our volunteers’ passion and dedication are invaluable. However, nationally, volunteerism has significantly decreased, and across the country, current volunteers are getting older and retiring from their positions.
“There were just 676,900 volunteers in the U.S. in 2020, compared to 897,750 in 1984.” (Source: NPR - Volunteer firefighters are getting older. It could be a life-or-death issue.)
Indeed, the National Volunteer Fire Counsel has named multiple factors contributing to this struggle, and states that it is getting harder and harder to recruit young volunteers.
“Many local volunteer fire departments are struggling to meet staffing needs. The number of volunteer firefighters in the U.S. reached a low in 2020. At the same time, call volume has more than tripled in the last 35 years, due in large part to the increase in emergency medical calls. Major factors contributing to recruitment challenges include increased time demands, more rigorous training requirements, and the proliferation of two-income families whose members do not have time to volunteer. Fire departments today are also expected to provide a wide range of services and multi-hazard response, creating further challenges for resource- constrained departments.” (Source: National Volunteer Fire Counsel Fact Sheet.)
Along with increasing volunteers, consolidation will create broader horizons for the Cadet Program (emergency service training for young people age 14 – 21.)
Consolidation offers unparalleled opportunities for our Cadet program. By tapping into the combined districts of Elk Creek Fire, Inter-Canyon Fire, and North Fork Fire, we can significantly expand our recruitment reach.
This amalgamation not only allows us to increase the number of cadets we can enroll, but also enriches their learning experience. By utilizing the diverse resources and navigating different geographical terrains across the districts, our cadets will receive a more comprehensive and practical understanding of the fire service.
With the promise of Conifer Fire, we can grow a new generation of firefighters who are adept, versatile, and reflective of the diverse communities we serve. We're investing in the future, ensuring our legacy of service and dedication is passed on to the next generation.
Let’s Talk about Wildland Fire Risk
Vote YES on consolidation to continue to protect our community from wildfire. Wildfire risk and our population are growing, putting more people at risk moving forward. Wildland fire doesn't respect the lines between fire protection districts. It doesn't care where you pay your taxes, or who is on the board of directors. The proposed consolidated area, including North Fork, Inter-Canyon, and Elk Creek, includes some of the highest-ranking wildland urban interface dangers in the nation. Geography, fuel conditions, and egress options set the stage for a large and potentially catastrophic wildfire event. Any wildfire that starts in one of the current districts has significant potential to spread quickly into one or more of the other districts. We must have a consolidated FPD that can rally a fast, coordinated response to a wildfire. Wildfire moves fast (fact), and having combined resources respond immediately to a single call improves the chances of fighting the fire. We can't afford the time it takes to have Elk Creek call Inter-Canyon and then North Fork to fight a wildfire. We must ensure streamlined response and streamlined communication among the resources fighting the fire. Consolidation gives us those resources. The consolidation will include increased 24-hour staffing across all 3 districts to allow for faster response times to hopefully help prevent “the big one” from becoming the “big one.”
When We Stand as a Unified Force, We Have a Larger Voice
In joining together, we will represent a very large piece of Jefferson County, as well as parts of Park and Douglas, and overall, a significant piece of the Wildland Urban Interface here on the Front Range. Our collective districts also contain numerous valued resources such as National Forest Lands and critical water sheds. Standing together gives us a bigger presence in the social, political, and environmental arenas – for example, as a consolidated district, we will have more opportunities for larger grants to fund initiatives and projects that will help protect our communities from the incredibly volatile wildland fire risk under which we constantly live. The Conifer Wildland Division (which encompasses both Elk Creek and Inter-Canyon) already has a proven track record with this, having leveraged state and local federal dollars of over 4 million to help reduce wildfire risk and increase firefighter safety and response. Continuing and expanding this relationship (and now including North Fork where, traditionally, large fires in this area have started), the organization will be more poised to secure the kind of funding and support that can help protect our lands, homes, and families from the devastating impacts that a large-scale wildfire would create.
Community Outreach and Education Will Increase
Along with a continued community effort to educate on wildfire mitigation efforts and reduce our community risks, consolidation will allow us to pool our resources and efforts around community initiatives. Examples of these may be:
Community paramedic program
Car seat program
School outreach
Community outreach including CPR and other life and fire safety education
Make a donation.
We would greatly appreciate your assistance in helping us spread the word to promote a YES vote and ensure A Safer Conifer by improving emergency response capabilities in our community. Donations go to help cover the cost of outreach and materials such as mailers and signs.
A SAFER CONIFER is an Issue Committee that is registered as so with the Colorado Secretary of State. It is also registered as a Colorado non-profit (please note this is not a federal non-profit, so donations are not considered tax deductible).
Donate here at PayPal (please consider covering the PayPal fee, if you are able) or you can send a check to:
A Safer Conifer
PO Box 353
Conifer, CO 80433
Per Colorado State rules: If you are a BUSINESS DONOR, please include BUSINESS NAME and ADDRESS.
If you are an INDIVIDUAL DONOR, please include NAME and ADDRESS. If a donation is $100 or more, we also need JOB TITLE and EMPLOYER.
The consolidation of Elk Creek Fire, Inter-Canyon Fire, and North Fork Fire would create a larger, unified force. An aging population, a growing community, and increasing wildland fire danger makes it pivotal that we stand together and work together as a united community. This will allow us to collectively take the best care of all residents and to protect the homes and lands of our beloved mountain community.
By coming together as Conifer Fire, we're not just combining resources — we're forging a stronger, more capable community that's prepared to meet the challenges of tomorrow and create a safer future.