COFirefighter
.410
Only a few calls this shift, figured I'd post up some pictures of my department and share some facts about our operations.
Boulder Rural Fire Department
Founded in 1957 by local ranchers on the outskirts of Boulder, CO, we now serve approximately 19,000 people in a 25 square mile area. Our response area includes: a national highway (major MVAs on this stretch), residential areas, light/heavy commercial areas, agricultural areas, schools, churches, a stretch of railroad, and everything in between. We respond to approximately 1,200 calls a year, last year is was only 990, three years ago it was close to 1,500- the figure varies. Founded as an all volunteer force, we have since become a "combination" department, basically a department with both career and volunteer members. We are about 40/60 respectively and are about 60 members strong right now. Once a fire-only operation, BRFD became an ALS (Advanced Life Support) department decades ago, which means when you dial 911, you'll have at least 2 paramedics and a slew of EMTs responding, with a whole assortment of drugs and other medical interventions that can be performed pre-hospital in order to save your life. In order to better fit how our department as grown and to better define our response area, we are currently researching a possible name change and dropping the "Rural" from our name, since many people think that is a misnomer.
Until August 10, 2011 we were responding 24/7/365 out of a 5,800 sq. ft. converted barn, purchased by our department 22 years ago. August 10, 2011 we officially moved into a state of the art 18,000 sq. ft. station, closer to the epicenter of our district. In my opinion (corroborated by many visiting FFs) this is the nicest firehouse in Boulder County currently, we even have a real brass pole to slide down. In fact as I write this, I'm in the bunk room closest to it, so I can slide down and be on the truck, fully geared in about 30 seconds.
Unfortunately since I do not "legally" own the rights any of the good pictures of our department or our trucks(mine are all of special events we do for the public and whatnot), follow the link to see more about our stations and rigs complete with pictures.
LOCAL FIRE NEWS WEBSITE WITH UPDATED PICS OF OUR RIGS STATIONS
http://5280fire.com/?page_id=20292
OFFICIAL BRFD WEBSITE (APPARATUS SECTION)
http://newsite.brfd.org/index.php/cms/fire
We are also extremely blessed to have an amazing, new, training facility, practically right next door to us. We use it a LOT! It is awesome. Again, I do not own the rights to these pictures, so I'll have to direct you to the Boulder County website about the facility. In fact tomorrow we'll be doing live burn, interior attack scenarios to demonstrate to the current class going through the academy right now (they are all from other departments, we have no one in this current class). It'll be nice to get back in the oven again tomorrow! Its cold out here. Fun fact: With my full structure PPE gear on tomorrow, I'll walk casually into a burning room of about 450*F and due to my gear, not only be fully protected, it'll just feel like a hot summer day. What our gear takes in abuse is simply amazing to me.
TRAINING CENTER LINK
http://www.bcrftc.org/boulder.html
If you all have any questions, feel free to ask. Just thought I'd share a little bit about what I do and who I represent. Thanks for reading.
Boulder Rural Fire Department
Founded in 1957 by local ranchers on the outskirts of Boulder, CO, we now serve approximately 19,000 people in a 25 square mile area. Our response area includes: a national highway (major MVAs on this stretch), residential areas, light/heavy commercial areas, agricultural areas, schools, churches, a stretch of railroad, and everything in between. We respond to approximately 1,200 calls a year, last year is was only 990, three years ago it was close to 1,500- the figure varies. Founded as an all volunteer force, we have since become a "combination" department, basically a department with both career and volunteer members. We are about 40/60 respectively and are about 60 members strong right now. Once a fire-only operation, BRFD became an ALS (Advanced Life Support) department decades ago, which means when you dial 911, you'll have at least 2 paramedics and a slew of EMTs responding, with a whole assortment of drugs and other medical interventions that can be performed pre-hospital in order to save your life. In order to better fit how our department as grown and to better define our response area, we are currently researching a possible name change and dropping the "Rural" from our name, since many people think that is a misnomer.
Until August 10, 2011 we were responding 24/7/365 out of a 5,800 sq. ft. converted barn, purchased by our department 22 years ago. August 10, 2011 we officially moved into a state of the art 18,000 sq. ft. station, closer to the epicenter of our district. In my opinion (corroborated by many visiting FFs) this is the nicest firehouse in Boulder County currently, we even have a real brass pole to slide down. In fact as I write this, I'm in the bunk room closest to it, so I can slide down and be on the truck, fully geared in about 30 seconds.
Unfortunately since I do not "legally" own the rights any of the good pictures of our department or our trucks(mine are all of special events we do for the public and whatnot), follow the link to see more about our stations and rigs complete with pictures.
LOCAL FIRE NEWS WEBSITE WITH UPDATED PICS OF OUR RIGS STATIONS
http://5280fire.com/?page_id=20292
OFFICIAL BRFD WEBSITE (APPARATUS SECTION)
http://newsite.brfd.org/index.php/cms/fire
We are also extremely blessed to have an amazing, new, training facility, practically right next door to us. We use it a LOT! It is awesome. Again, I do not own the rights to these pictures, so I'll have to direct you to the Boulder County website about the facility. In fact tomorrow we'll be doing live burn, interior attack scenarios to demonstrate to the current class going through the academy right now (they are all from other departments, we have no one in this current class). It'll be nice to get back in the oven again tomorrow! Its cold out here. Fun fact: With my full structure PPE gear on tomorrow, I'll walk casually into a burning room of about 450*F and due to my gear, not only be fully protected, it'll just feel like a hot summer day. What our gear takes in abuse is simply amazing to me.
TRAINING CENTER LINK
http://www.bcrftc.org/boulder.html
If you all have any questions, feel free to ask. Just thought I'd share a little bit about what I do and who I represent. Thanks for reading.
