Archived News

Click here for District Receives Grant for New Training Center
Click here for Be Prepared for Tornadoes!
Click here for Accessing 911 with Non Traditional Phone Systems
Click here for Business and Education Center Planned
Click here for Special Operations Training
Click here for Fire Safety House Dedication
Click here for New Emergency Notification System
Click here for Rudy Sarmiento, Sr.'s Memoriam
Click here for Publish Access AED Program
Click here for Special District Election
Click here for New Apparatus Arrival
Click here for Fire Chief Poszywak's Graduation
Click here for the Oil & Gas Industry of N. Colorado Article
Click here for the Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Article
Click here for the FFFPD Awarded Grant Article
Click here for the Airlife article

District Receives Grant for New Training Center

In the 2010 grant cycle, the Fire District applied for Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) for the purpose of purchasing a multi-purpose mobile training unit. On Friday,

March 11th the District was notified that it was awarded the grant in the amount of $174,500.

The unit specified by the successful bidder for the project, Fire Training Structures out of Phoenix, AZ, consists of (2) two level structures constructed from (2) new 8‟x 8.5‟x40‟ ISO containers mounted on rolling chassis. Unit #1 contains live fire training, forcible entry, ventilation, and salvage & overhaul props. Unit #2 contains Tactical, SCBA & Confined Space, rappelling & rope rescue, roof ventilation, and search & rescue Props.

The addition of this item is crucial to enhancing firefighter safety and operational capability. The mobile live fire training facility obtained through this grant will increase the availability and frequency of high quality and safe live fire, search and rescue and special operations training for our community’s responders. This mobile training facility will provide approximately 1,280sq ft of OSHA and NFPA approved training space.

The site needs for the placement of the unit included: limited development so as not to impact residential areas, at least 2 established water supplies, access for heavy apparatus, and centralized location for access by on-duty crews. After an inventory of existing public sites, District staff approached the Town of Firestone to see if there was interest in allowing access to the Public Works site given its preferred location, layout, access, and limited impacts on traffic and residential areas. The Town was very receptive to the idea and has worked closely with the District to facilitate the accommodation of this important addition to the community. The units were delivered and set up on September 30, 2011 and orientation training was conducted on October 25, 2011. This facility which was 95% funded through Federal grant money and without local tax dollars, will serve our firefighters and the community for years to come.

Be Prepared for Tornadoes!

What would you do if severe weather such as a tornado was bearing down on your home?

How would you be alerted?

What would you do to ensure you and your family’s safety leading up to and in the aftermath of a tornado?

Did you know that even when a warning is issued, you may only have minutes or seconds to take appropriate life saving actions?

The difference between survival and serious injury or death lies with YOU. The most important tool you have is planning ahead and situational awareness.

As the National Weather Service becomes aware of hazardous weather, they issue watches and warnings to the public utilizing various methods. All of these methods have one thing in common: they each require action by YOU to receive them.

It’s important to plan where you would go for shelter if a tornado warning were to be issued. In general, seek shelter below ground such as in a basement or cellar. If neither is available to you, go to the centermost part of your home in a windowless room.

BE WEATHERWISE, DON’T BE CAUGHT OFF GUARD and don’t be a statistic. Understand how to access watch and warning information…. And more importantly what to do if a tornado strikes.
 

Carbon Valley Weather Systems
The interface of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains and the High Plains region of Colorado creates a large counterclockwise circulation of air known as the Denver Cyclone and a large clockwise rotation of air to the north called the Longmont Anticyclone.  These low pressure areas stretch from Denver to Greeley and produce strong thunderstorm updrafts and vertical wind shear increasing the potential for tornadoes. The Carbon Valley area rests directly in the middle of these two wind fronts.

According to a preparedness guide distributed by the National Weather Service, tornadoes have occurred most frequently in areas east of the Rocky Mountains. These destructive storms are capable of producing winds in excess of 250 miles per hour and damage paths between one mile and 50 miles wide. www.weather.gov/education.php

Most Effective Warning Systems
 

1.  Education and Preparedness such as attending a weather spotter class, being informed on weather patterns in your area, basic first aid, and knowing what to do before disaster strikes all greatly increase your chances of survival.
 

2. Weather Alert Radios available through several local retailers, utilize transmitters maintained by the National Weather Service to broadcast weather alerts to specific zip codes within a threatened area.
 

3. Television and Radio broadcasts are among the most effective means of receiving warnings. The cable override, or Emergency Alert System, is an alert sent over cable television channels overriding normal broadcasts of impending dangers to the public. Be aware that satellite TV signals may be interrupted in severe weather, especially hail, because your satellite dish may not have a clear line of site to the broadcast satellite.
 

4. Text and Voice alerts through your cell phone, computer, or other web accessible device. These alerts allow very accurate weather warnings to be sent to subscribers in an area as small as 5 square miles well in advance of an impending funnel cloud.

What about Warning Sirens?
Tornado sirens have several inherent shortcomings including becoming less effective with distance and wind and the topography of the land. In an approaching storm with heavy rain and winds, the siren’s audible signal is often washed out. Also, mechanical warning sirens are not designed to be heard indoors, but rather are meant to warn people who are outdoors to take cover. Today’s construction materials are designed to lower nuisance noise levels, which also includes lowering the noise levels produced by sirens.

Sirens are also not widely used to cover all areas because they have been found to be ineffective source of warning, and they often draw people outside due to curiosity rather than ensure they take cover.

Self-Preservation

The American Red Cross recommends families develop a disaster plan specifying a designated safe place, method of warning family members of impending severe weather, an emergency phone list, inspection checklist to remove potential hazards within and around the home, training on how to use basic safety measures such as basic first aid and fire extinguisher use, and a disaster supply kit to meet the family’s survival needs for at least three days. The Red Cross also urges families to regularly test their disaster plan with periodic drills designed to reinforce the plan.  Click here to visit their site.

Preparedness for Businesses
Several planning measures should be taken by businesses to ensure the safety of their employees and patrons. These measures include the purchase of weather alert radios, establishment of alternate communications methods should phone lines be interrupted, creation of an emergency contact list, and establishment of safe areas within buildings for occupants to evacuate to in the event of a tornado warning. Businesses should also establish a checklist of activities for completion after a tornado has occurred including damage assessment, accountability of personnel, and establishing communication with emergency officials.

5 Steps to being prepared:
1.  Buy a Weather Alert Radio
2.  Sign up for severe weather alerts with one
     of the local TV network affiliates
3.  Develop a Safety Plan to include:
         a. Shelter location (basement, cellar,
             or windowless room in the lowest
             interior part of your building)
         b. Reunification methods and site for
             after the storm
         c. Emergency contact list
         d. First aid procedures
         e. Preparation checklists
4.  Put together a 72-hr survival kit
5.  Practice your plan and have a safety drill
     every April

Click here for more important information on severe weather planning and other types of weather related hazards:

Other preparedness resources:

www.fema.gov/plan/index.shtm

www.readycolorado.com

www.redcross.org

www.nws.noaa.gov

http://weather.cbs4denver.com/US/CO/Denver/KDEN.html

www.thedenverchannel.com/weather/index.html

www.9news.com/weather/default.aspx

Photo of actual tornado in Colorado
        

Accessing 911 with Non Traditional Phone Systems

The ability to access emergency services by dialing 911 is a vital component of public safety and emergency preparedness. It is imperative that consumers of telephone service be able to reach emergency services regardless of the technology used to place a 911 call. E911 systems automatically provide to emergency service personnel a 911 caller’s call back number and, in most cases, location information in order to reduce response delays from Emergency Services.

How Does 911 Work to Determine Your Calling Location?

Traditional phone services generally associate a particular phone number with a fixed address. Portable interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service enables consumers to take their home or business phone service almost anywhere. Because certain interconnected VoIP services are portable, or can be used from virtually any Internet connection anywhere, the location of the caller may not be capable of being determined automatically.

When you call 911 from a traditional telephone, the call in most cases is sent to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) that is responsible for helping people in a particular geographic area or community. PSAP personnel often can automatically identify your location and direct the closest emergency personnel to that location. They also often can automatically identify your telephone number so that they can call you back if you are disconnected.

What are the Differences with VoIP?

Since VoIP service works differently from traditional phone service, consumers who use it should be aware that VoIP 911 service may also work differently from traditional 911 service. VoIP service providers, in response to FCC action, are making progress in eliminating these differences, but some of the possible differences include:

● VoIP 911 calls may not connect to the PSAP, or may improperly ring to the administrative line of the PSAP, which may not be staffed after hours, or by trained 911 operators;

● VoIP 911 calls may correctly connect to the PSAP, but not automatically transmit the user’s phone number and/or location information;

● VoIP customers may need to provide location or other information to their VoIP providers, and update this information if you change locations, for your VoIP 911 service to function properly;

● VoIP service may not work during a power outage, or when the Internet connection fails or becomes overloaded.

What is Interconnected VoIP Service?

Interconnected VoIP service allows you to make and receive calls to and from traditional phone numbers using an Internet connection, possibly a high-speed (broadband) Internet connection, such as Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), cable modem, or wireless broadband. It can be used in place of traditional phone service. While you may choose to use interconnected VoIP service from a single location, like a residence, some interconnected VoIP services can be used wherever you travel, as long as a broadband Internet connection is available. Companies offering interconnected VoIP service call it by a number of different brand names.

The FCC now requires all Interconnected VoIP providers to implement measures to ensure 911 connectivity. The provider now must:

● Provide 911 service to all their customers as a standard, mandatory feature without customers having to specifically request this service.

● Obtain from the customer the physical location at which the service will first be used, so that emergency services personnel will be able to locate any customer dialing 911.

● Provide one or more easy ways for their customers to update their physical location if it changes.

● Transmit all 911 calls, as well as a callback number and the caller’s registered physical location, to the appropriate emergency services call center.

● Must specifically advise new and existing customers of the circumstances under which 911 service may not be available through the interconnected VoIP service or may in some way be limited in comparison to traditional 911 service.

● Ensure that a 911 call is routed to the appropriate PSAP.

Subscribers of VoIP services that do not fully interconnect should be aware that providers of those services are not currently required to comply with the FCC’s 911 and E911 rules.

Tips for VoIP Users

Contact your VoIP service provider to determine if your service is fully interconnected.

● Read your subscriber agreement thoroughly.

● Provide your accurate physical address to your interconnected VoIP service provider to ensure that emergency services can quickly be dispatched to your location.

● Promptly update your address information in the event you move or relocate.

● Have a clear understanding of any limitations of your 911 service.

● Inform children, babysitters and visitors about your VoIP service and its 911 limitations, if any.

● If your power is out or your Internet connection is down, be aware that your VoIP service may not work. Consider installing a backup power supply, maintaining a traditional phone line or having a wireless phone as a backup.

● PSAPs currently lack the technical capability to receive texts, photos and video.

Additional Information:

For more information about interconnected VoIP and 911, visit the following websites:

FCC Transition
FCC Guides
9-1-1 Services Center
FCC Consumer Facts

You can also contact the FCC’s Consumer Center at:

Voice: 1-888-225-5322

TTY: 1-888-835-5322

In Writing:
Federal Communications Commission Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division 445 12th Street, SW Washington, D.C. 20554

Information in this article was gathered from the Federal Communications Commission, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau from the following source:

Federal Communications Commission. (2011, February). FCC Consumer Advisory: VoIP and 911 Service. Washington, DC: Author. 

Business and Education Center Planned

In 2006, the District identified a need for additional training, administration, and operations space. That same year the District surpassed its office space capacity at Station 1 and had to convert the training and meeting room to offices, leaving less than 150 square feet of classroom and meeting room space to be shared by all 3 facilities and all 63 employees and Reserves.

Rather than investing in a new construction project, we decided to look for existing unused space that would meet both our immediate and long term needs. Such a building was found at 8426 Kosmerl Place, north of and adjacent to the Station 2 site. This building had gone into foreclosure in 2008, and the accepted offer was nearly half of what a new building two-thirds of the size was quoted to cost. This building is being purchased with capital replacement reserve funds that were established in 2006 for this specific purpose, so no bonds or tax increases will be needed for its purchase. Several abilities will be gained through this addition such as:

·         Classroom space for community outreach programs like CPR classes, emergency preparedness training, fire prevention and public education classes such as the After the Fire program.

·         Classroom space will now be available at every Fire Station in order to advance the training and education of our Reserves and Career members more efficiently.

·         Meeting space for local and regional government groups and Town Hall type meetings.

·         Warehouse space that will allow us to adjust ordering and inventory of essential supplies and equipment more efficiently and cost effectively.

·         Higher security space for records keeping.

·         Dedicated workspace for our local police partners to utilize when working or patrolling west of I-25.

·         Future development of the Carbon Valley Emergency Operations Center in the event of natural disasters, large emergencies, and large scale events that impact all our communities.

It is our intent to develop this new “Business & Education Center” as a center for service, community and education to enhance our communities and to serve our customers and our partners for years to come.

2010 Special Operations Training

The District’s Special Operations Unit technicians along with all of the firefighters and officers have been training hard this year to enhance their skills and knowledge in rope rescue, hazardous materials, trench rescue, and water/ice rescue operations

It may have been cold, but everyone took their turn in January jumping into the ice cold waters to complete their annual ice rescue refresher.

Rangers from the Colorado State Parks also participated in the drills, adding their equipment and expertise to the scenarios.

In March, the District’s rope rescue technicians participated in a mutual aid company rope rescue training at the XCEL Energy Fort Saint Vrain Power Station.  Personnel from Frederick-Firestone, Platteville-Gilcrest, and Fort Lupton Fire Districts were familiarized with each other’s equipment and capabilities.  The rope rescue specialists participated in a low-angle rescue evolution, i.e. a simulated rescue of a person in a below-grade environment.  Rope team members demonstrated various rope rescue competencies by alternating as members of a hauling, belay, and rescue teams.

All District Personnel completed Swiftwater Rescue Awareness training in May that was instructed by the District’s Swiftwater Technicians.  All staff completed classroom training on the topic of water and its dangers, followed by water rescue skills evaluations at the Carbon Valley Recreation Center.  The District also added two additional Swiftwater Technicians to its team this year.

Our HazMat Technicians have been especially busy this year.  Each quarter, our Hazmat Technicians participate in the Southwest Weld Hazmat Training Group drills.  These training sessions are attended by Hazmat Technicians from Frederick-Firestone, Platteville-Gilcrest, Fort Lupton, Mountain View, and Greater Brighton Fire Districts.  On June 16^th, several of the District’s Hazmat Technicians were directly involved in a regional full scale WMD exercise presented by the Weld County Office of Emergency Management. 

In June, our Trench Rescue Technicians conducted one of our bi-annual trench rescue drills for all of our firefighters and officers.  Arriving crews were faced with a large “T” trench with an unconscious utility worker approximately seven foot below ground level.  Crews had to secure the trench and extricate the victim safely.   The District also added two additional Trench & Collapse Rescue Technicians to our Special Operations Team this year.

The District and its members are committed to being able to respond to and safely mitigate the wide-ranging calls for service our jurisdiction receives. This involves a coordinate effort of personnel and equipment from not only our agency, but also from our neighboring agencies. The training and equipping of our Special Operations units is an ongoing and continual process, and comes in addition to the fire suppression and emergency medical training in which all of our staff participates. Confined Space Rescue and Collapse Search & Rescue will be the focus of Special Operations training in 2011, in addition to the continuing education in the aforementioned areas.

Carbon Valley Rotary Donates Children’s Fire Safety House

In October 2010 the Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District and the Mountain View Fire Protection District were the recipients of an Inflatable Children’s Fire Safety House donated by the Carbon Valley Rotary.

The Inflatable Fire Safety House will be able to provide a quick understanding of fire safety as it relates to being at home. Tours in the Inflatable Fire Safety House will be from 3-5 minutes and will cover topics such as kitchen safety, fireplace safety, smoke detector use and placement, emergency exits and a safe gathering place for children once they have exited the home. The training medium will be fun for both children and adults.

Fire safety handouts will be provided at the end of each tour for adults to use at home to encourage families to teach their child about “Exit Drill In the Home” in the event of a fire at their home.

The initial concept of donating a Children’s Fire Safety House to the Carbon Valley Community came about in June 2008 when members from the Carbon Valley Club attended the Rotary International Convention held in Los Angeles.  At the convention was a presentation of “Healing Fields”, which is an organized event of placing United States Flags in designated areas that creates a “Healing Field”. The Healing Field organizations use the “Healing Fields” to honor those people who serve our communities and country.  From there the Carbon Valley Rotary came up with the idea to make the event a fundraiser with the goal to donate a Fire Safety House to help educate local children and adults about fire safety. Residential fires still represent the largest loss of life each year in our communities.

The Carbon Valley Community Healing Field was held the weekend of October 11, 2008 and honored first responders, active military, veterans, and 9/11 victims and their families.  Three hundred 3' x 5' United States flags filled the Coal Ridge Middle School soccer field as a patriotic tribute to the strength and unity of all Americans.  The event was part of the Town of Firestone’s Centennial celebration.

Since that time the Carbon Valley Rotary has worked closely with the Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District to determine what type of Children’s Fire Safety House would best serve the community.  In April 2009 an inflatable Fire Safety House was borrowed from the Arvada Fire Protection District and was used at the Carbon Valley Rotary’s annual Easter Egg Hunt at Settler’s Park.  Hundreds of children lined up with their parents to take the 5 minute tour to learn about home fire safety.  The event was so successful that it was agreed an Inflatable Fire Safety house was the way to go.

Working with Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District and Mountain View Fire Protection District, the Carbon Valley Rotary moved forward with their plan to donate the inflatable Children’s Fire Safety House to the Carbon Valley community.  The money raised by sponsors of the original Healing Fields and sales of the U.S. flags had been put aside, and with an additional $4,000 matching grant from Rotary District 5450, the $10,000 was raised to purchase the safety house from the Boulder Blimp Co. in Lafayette, CO.

The Children’s Fire Safety House is intended as an educational tool for the Carbon Valley Community, and we are committed to its sustainability for years to come. Look for the Children’s Fire Safety House to be at community events for 2010 and beyond.

Mountain View Fire Protection District Fire Chief, Mark Lawley, and
Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District Fire Chief, Ted Poszywak

New Emergency Notification System Operational in Weld County

Weld County and the Carbon Valley emergency response agencies have teamed up to provide emergency notification for weather related and other emergency events that may affect you and your family.

In the past, the public relied heavily on outdoor sirens for early severe weather warning. These devices gave very little warning of approaching severe weather, and could only be heard within a very small outdoor area. Sirens have very limited effectiveness in providing warning for several reasons.

1. Sirens are not capable of providing specific information on weather conditions and necessary preparations.

2. Sirens are not designed to be heard indoors or in your vehicle.

3. The audible range of sirens is drastically reduced by distance, wind, atmospheric conditions, and land obstructions.

Today there are several safer and more effective early warning systems that provide you with up-to-date, accurate information. This includes:

1. Emergency Callback Systems such as the Intrado Target Notification system used in Weld County
2. Local Media Broadcasts on Radio, Television and the Internet
3. NOAA Weather Alerts via a Weather Alert Radio

All wireless (cell) and voice over internet (VoIP) phone subscribers within Weld County are eligible to register and receive Intrado Target Notifications from the system, and all of the information you enter is stored in a secure database. You will only receive calls/notifications when emergency officials deem an emergency exists in your area and activate the call-back system. No matter where you are physically located, you will only receive calls for emergencies that affect the address entered into the website. So if you are on vacation in a different state you will still receive a phone call if the address you entered is affected by an emergency.

The Intrado Target Notification is different than the notification systems used by certain communities to send out community information. The Intrado system is used by emergency officials only, and only emergency information is sent to subscribers. Signing up for another system (i.e. Blackboard Connect, Code Red, Connect Cty, etc.) will not register your numbers and address with the Weld County Emergency Notification System, you must register for the Intrado system independently. Signing up for the Weld County Intrado Target Notification Service is free and easy.  Just click on the “Intrado” banner in the left column for more information and registration.

In Memoriam

We at the Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District want to express our deepest condolences to the family of Rudolph (“Rudy”) Sarmiento, Sr. in this time of great sadness due to his passing on June 29, 2010. The fire service is a brother & sisterhood, a family that

depends on each other greatly through trying times. Being a firefighter is more than what you do, it is who you are. Whether volunteer or career, it means giving back more than you take and always being dedicated to helping those who cannot help themselves.

Rudy did this and more. He gave of himself selflessly to our community and to our fire service family for more than twenty years. Rudy was given the title “First In – Last Out” by his fellow firefighters because he missed very few calls and was always one of the first to respond and the last to go home. He was always ready to lend a hand, to support community events, and to do his part. His commitment and sacrifices for others are something that we should all look to for inspiration in a world where those values sometimes seem hard to find. Rudy was our brother, and we are honored by the work he did for our organization.

There exists a Proverb that states: “As iron sharpens iron, so does one man sharpen another.” It is in this spirit that Rudy will remain with us always, because he helped build the foundation that we today continue to work from to help others in their most trying of times. We understand that the family of a firefighter is our source of refuge and strength, and that they make many sacrifices to allow us to do what we love. We send our thoughts and prayers to the Sarmiento Family, and ask that you remember them in their time of sorrow.

The Directors and Staff of the Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District

FFFPD Launches Public Access AED Program

The importance of early defibrillation can not be understated. Early defibrillation means having immediate access to a properly working automated external defibrillator (AED). This allows a rescuer to give a potentially lifesaving electrical shock to the victim's heart during a cardiac arrest.

 
Early defibrillation is often called the critical link in the chain of survival, because it's the only way to successfully treat most sudden cardiac arrests. When cardiac arrest occurs, the heart starts to beat chaotically (fibrillation) and can't pump blood efficiently. Time is critical. If a normal heart rhythm isn't restored in minutes, the person will die. In fact, for every minute without defibrillation, the odds of survival drop 7-10 percent. A sudden cardiac arrest victim who isn't defibrillated within 8-10 minutes has virtually no chance of survival.

Emergency Medical Services providers have traditionally performed defibrillation, but quick EMS response

Emergency Medical Services providers have traditionally performed defibrillation, but quick EMS response isn't always available. Even the best EMS systems are delayed by heavy traffic, secured buildings and gated communities. It’s for this reason that FFFPD has become an advocate in establishing a public access defibrillation program for the towns of both Frederick and Firestone.

With a special thanks to Suncor Energy, FFFPD has been able fund and distribute a total of 13 AED’s to various schools, local government, and recreation facilities within our district boundaries.
The automated external defibrillator of choice is the Phillips “Heartstart”. The Heartstart provides clear natural voice instruction through each step. This user friendly device senses and adapts to your actions as it coaches you through the CPR process.

(Click to Enlarge)
 

Special District Election

In 1975, the Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District was created by a number of citizens concerned about fire protection for their homes and businesses.  In 1999, the District transitioned from an all volunteer department to a combination career and volunteer department.  Currently, the District has 33 paid career staff and 22 active reserve fire-fighters operating out of 3 Fire Stations, which serve 31 square miles of southwest Weld County including the Towns of Frederick and Firestone.

The Board of Directors is the governing body of the Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the administration, finances and policies of the District.  The Board of Directors consists of 5 members.   The Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District will hold a polling place election on Tuesday, May 4, 2010, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. located at Fire Station 3 6800 Tilbury Drive, Firestone, Colorado.   At the polling place, no person shall be permitted to vote in the election unless that person is an eligible elector within the ward boundaries and who presents a valid form of identification and signs the self-affirming oath. 

On Tuesday, May 4, 2010 two (2) directors will be elected to serve four (4) year terms and one (1) director will be elected to serve a two (2) year term.   A Director for Ward 2 shall be elected for a four (4) year term; a Director for Ward 3 shall be elected for a four (4) year term; and a Director for Ward 4 shall be elected for a two (2) year term.  To qualify to serve on the Board of Directors you must be registered to vote in the State of Colorado, and within the ward boundaries and have been a resident of the District for not less than thirty (30) days or own taxable real or personal property (or be the spouse of someone who owns taxable real or personal property) within the District or a person who is obligated to pay taxes under a contract to purchase taxable property within the District. 

The Board holds regular meetings on the 2^nd Monday of every month at 7:00 p.m.  The meetings are held at Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District Station 3, 6800 Tilbury Avenue, Firestone, Colorado.  Special meetings may be held as often as the needs of the District require.  A Director is entitled to Director’s fees in the amount of $74.00 for each meeting attended, not to exceed $1,600 in a calendar year.  These meetings usually run between two and three hours.  This position requires a person who is committed to working for the community and who is willing to give of their time and energy to make the Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District part a community where government works.

Self-Nomination and Acceptance forms, which must be filed with the Designated Election Official no later than February 26, 2010, are available from:

Kammy K. Tinney, Designated Election Official

1310 S. Washington Street

Denver, CO 80210

Phone: 303-482-1002

FAX: 303-722-2768

 - OR -

Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District,

Fire Station 1
31 Walnut Drive

Frederick, CO 80530

Phone: 303-833-2742

FAX: 303-833-3736

If you are interested in supporting the community by serving on the Board of Directors, or are interested in learning more about the Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District and the services we provide, please contact Fire Chief Theodore Poszywak during regular business hours at (303) 833-2742 or email him at tposzywak@fffd.us.

Notice: The District Election

has been cancelled.  Click here to learn more.

New Apparatus Arrives

In an effort to maintain our existing service level to our citizens and customers, the Fire District holds the responsibility to purchase, monitor, maintain, and replace equipment essential to emergency response and mitigation. The District accomplishes this through a Capital Equipment Replacement Fund in which a portion of the budget is reserved each year to replace essential equipment when it reaches the end of its serviceable lifecycle. This funding mechanism, established in 2006 by the Board of Directors, allows the District to cost effectively manage capital expenses internally without the need to take out costly loans.

Through the 2009 Budget planning process conducted in 2008, it became apparent that one of the District’s aging ambulances needed replacement.  This purchase was funded through the Capital Equipment Replacement Fund.

Fire Chief Poszywak Graduates from Executive Fire Officer Program

Fire Chief Ted Poszywak graduated from the Executive Fire Officer Program from the U. S. Fire Administration, National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Executive Fire Officer candidates enhance their professional development through a unique series of four graduation and upper-division baccalaureate equivalent courses.

The Executive Fire Office Program spans a four-year period with four core courses. Each course is two weeks in length with a research project. The Executive Fire Officer Program selection criteria requires a bachelor’s degree and extensive senior command level fire experience.

The Executive Fire Officer Program is design to provide the student with an understanding of a proactive emphasis on leadership development, prevention, risk-reduction and provides the candidate the tools to bring this knowledge back to their department.

Oil & Gas Industry of Northern Colorado provides funding assistance to FFFPD   Though our community has experienced significant growth in both commercial and residential over the past several years, fire/rescue resources strive to keep pace.   The development that we have experienced exposed a void in our fleet of emergency response vehicles.   With the assistance of non-taxed based funds, our department has added a “Special Operations Trailer” that will assist in the mitigation of trench rescue and Hazardous Materials (HazMat) related incidents.   The Special Operations Trailer is set up to handle Level B HazMat response incidents. Special monitoring/sampling equipment, a portable Level B HazMat response incidents. Special monitoring/sampling equipment, a portable weather station and a generator are all located on the trailer. The trailer contains enough oil absorbent, brooms, and pads to handle a moderate oil spill. The total amount received from outside sources and donations was $20,818.00 dollars.   Those funds were used to purchase the Trailer as well as supplies. As of today, FFFPD has eight Hazardous Materials Technicians.  If needed, our neighboring departments; (Fort Lupton FPD, Mountain View FPD, and Greater Brighton FPD) can add an additional 45 Hazardous Materials Technicians. The Special Operations Trailer may be used by any fire district that needs the equipment. By having this equipment available in South West Weld County, we can reduce the response time to trench emergencies as well as HazMat spills. Click here to see photos of our new Special Operations Trailer.

Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Mayday, mayday, mayday… Requesting emergency traffic was aired over and over again as crews from all three shifts participated in shock at-tack mayday drills. The drills were held in a large, empty warehouse on Monarch Street in the Glacier Business Park. One by one, units were dispatched to respond to the warehouse where they were given their scenario “member of attack group 1, no longer in contact with your attack line or crew members…” The purpose of these drills was to evaluate if our fire fighters are ready to handle a mayday situation according to department procedures (400.21).  The Training Division was looking for the following events to take place: mayday aired, crew or firefighter designation given, nature of emergency given, location given, air supply given, PASS device was activated, self rescue was initiated, and that the structure was exited with air remaining in the cylinder.

FFFPD Awarded Grant from the Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance Fund In an effort to maintain our existing service level agreement to the towns of both Frederick and Firestone, Frederick – Firestone Protection District’s Grant Committee gathered this past fall to discuss several different strategies that would enable the Fire District to purchase a much needed fire engine as well as extrication equipment via funds other than tax dollars. A decision was made to apply for a grant through the Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance Fund. The purpose of the Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance Program is to assist political subdivisions that are socially and/or economically impacted by the development, processing, or energy conversion of minerals and mineral fuels.  Funds come from the state severance tax on energy and mineral production and from a portion of the state’s share of royalties paid to the federal government for mining and drilling of minerals and mineral fuels on federally-owned land.  The program was created by the legislature in 1977. In January, the Frederick Firestone Fire Protection District received formal notification from the Department of Local Affairs that our special project was awarded funding in the amount of $227,000.00. This is a 50/50 arrangement whereby the grant funds all costs up to $227,000.00.  Any costs exceeding this figure would be the responsibility of the Fire District. Since the Grant Committee’s inception (4 years ago), the Fire District has been awarded approximately $750,000.00 in grant monies.  Our Department’s commitment to providing the best possible service to those patrons whom live within and travel through our Fire Protection District is our number one mission.  We are truly excited to add this new fire engine to our fleet. A special thanks goes out to our Grant Committee members: Chief Poszywak, Dale Ingraham, Ryan Fossen, and Brian Sager for their continued diligence and hard work.

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