Colorado Springs

[Hereandthere]

Hey Chief, can you give me any info on Colorado Springs Fire Department? What are their shifts like? What about the career staffing at the volley houses surrounding CS as well as the rest of El Paso County?

[chief2101]

Certainly. CSFD has 19 firehouses with 19 engines, five trucks, one haz-mat team and one trauma squad. Station 20 wil open within 30 days, Truck 19 should go in service by the end of the year. The next company added will be Truck 17 to bring the trucks up to seven total. All companies are ALS and transport is done by AMR. They work the modified Berkley (?) schedule which is one on/one off/one on/one off/one on/four off.Some surrounding districts have full time staffing supplemented by volunteers:
Cimarron Hills: 4; Woodmoor/Monument:4; Wescott: 3; Stratmoor Hills: 3; Falcon: 2; Tri-Lakes:4; Black Forest: 1 EMS only; Security:1 in each station; Fountain: 3 in each station (I think). Everyone else is all-volunteer. The CSFD staffs everything except the trauma squad with 4. Most of the districts have volunteers, some are more active than others. Some are more competent than others. The fire business here is pretty slow, most of the stuff out in the county burns down due to response time and distance. There are also four military bases with fire departments close to Colorado Springs, and one other base about 10 miles outside of town. The airport is covered by Peterson AFB for aircraft emergencies only, the city covers the buildings.

[Sparky04]

Do any of the bases provide mutual aid to anyone.

[chief2101]

All the installations have mutual aid agreements, but their use is infrequent.

[atropine8]

chief2101, thank you for that info. I am also looking to moving out there from MD within the next 16 months. I come from a vol station myself, and looking forward to riding out there also. I fthere is anymore info you can send my way I would be grateful.

[chief2101]

When you get closer to moving here, let me know the area you are going to live near and I'll send you some information.

[atropine8]

Thank you, might be moving the move date up by almost a year... so after the new year look for my email..... once again thank you for the reply of information

[Hereandthere]

Chief, get some of your guys talking on here so we can hear about some of your calls or issues :D