NEDERLAND — The Nederland Board of Trustees (BOT) met on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, to receive an informational update regarding the Town’s emergency readiness and to take action on applying for federal funding for the design and installation of an emergency warning siren system. 

These agenda items came before the Board just as they voted to approve Resolution 2026-24, rescinding and terminating the Town’s declaration of a local disaster emergency, which was originally enacted the day of the Lakeview Fire, October 9, 2025. 

A siren call 

Coincidentally, October 9 was the same day that the Town of Nederland had learned that they were denied a $175,000 Natural Disaster Mitigation Enterprise grant for an emergency alert system for not having “a strong enough need,” according to the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM).

Town Manager Jonathan Cain said at that time that, though Nederland would not likely be able to match any grants in 2026, staff would jump on any funding opportunities for emergency sirens that may arise. 

“That was really aggravating,” Cain admitted on Tuesday, about being denied grant funding back in October, before he presented to Trustees the chance to try again, this time with FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program (BRIC).

Before moving forward, Cain did warn that he was unsure if the BRIC funding avenue was still available for the Town, though he did state that there were two other potential opportunities for state funding for emergency-based projects that staff could apply for instead.  

The original plan was for Town staff to work with HSEM in order to put together the submission requirements and necessary application materials by the next day, Wednesday, July 22. The Town was hoping to apply for $260,000, which is the full amount of the estimated project budget.

The proposed project includes three outdoor warning sirens to be installed at specific locations. These would be at the Town’s wastewater treatment facility, at the Nederland Fire Protection District (NFPD) station at 650 West 4th Street, and at an unspecified third location somewhere near the Nederland Elementary School. 

“Final siting would be determined in close coordination with the Fire District and based on its emergency response expertise, sound-propagation modeling, site access, property control, power availability, permitting requirements, operational needs, and final engineering,” Town staff specified. 

The vendor the Town is considering for the project proposes a system with “voice and siren capabilities, programmable alerts, battery backup, remote activation and monitoring, and the ability to add additional sirens in the future.”

For $240,098.10, the vendor would provide “sirens, poles, system controls, solar equipment, batteries, engineered pole drawings, freight, and substantial installation services.” 

It was also specified that the final cost estimation did not include the cost of permitting, potential easements, necessary utility connections, issues with difficult terrain, and any other unforeseen issues due to site conditions or installation requirements. 

Additionally, if the project is awarded both the Town and the NFPD would be taking all ownership, operating, and maintenance responsibilities pertaining to the sirens, including activating and testing authority.  

Due to what Cain had described as an “unforeseen snag” with applying for the BRIC funding, he asked the BOT to consider a change in language for the suggested motion before them, to vote to permit Town staff to apply to BRIC and to any other grant opportunity, as long as they amount does not exceed the estimated project cost of $260,000. 

Some Trustees asked for further discussion down the road pertaining to the undeclared third siren location, with there being a call to place the third siren in the Big Springs neighborhood. Apart from that formality, the Board voted unanimously to permit Cain and Town staff to chase any grant opportunity available for the design and installation of emergency sirens. 

Be prepared 

The BOT also received an informational update on Nederland’s emergency readiness, relating specifically to its first responders, alerting systems, public education and engagement, shelter capacity, reporting protocols, and resident preparation.  

Community members were encouraged to apply for BOCO Alert for official warnings, evacuation orders and instructions; to utilize the Boulder Office of Disaster Management (ODM) for updates on emergencies, detailed maps, and local shelter information; to follow the NFPD and Boulder County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) for public safety and response information; to download Watch Duty as a supplemental source of wildfire information; and to follow Nederland website and social media for information about Town facilities and services. 

The evacuation alert levels utilized by Boulder ODM were also detailed. A “Warning” alerts residents to either prepare to act, or to act immediately, depending on one’s circumstances in relation to transportation, mobility, children, pets, or large animals. An “Order” alerts residents to immediately act and leave the identified area.

It was also stated in the information provided by Cain and Town staff that the Nederland Community Center is a designated American Red Cross emergency shelter, which can be activated by the Boulder ODM during “wildfire evacuations, extended power outages, public-safety power shutoffs, severe cold-weather events, or other emergencies.”

Some community preparedness suggestions were offered in the informational update. These include learning more than one evacuation route; planning transportation and emergency accommodations; preparing a “go bag” with the proper items—including medications, documents, chargers, and keys; keeping phones charged and vehicles fueled; and “maintaining defensible space and reducing combustible material” near one’s home. 

As for what the Town and NFPD are doing in relation to emergency readiness—in addition to hunting grant opportunities for emergency sirens—it was stated that Town staff have purchased more fire-ban signs to be installed at various locations across Nederland, and that the NFPD also purchased a portable variable-message board, which is currently located in Boulder Canyon. 

NFPD Chief Charlie Schmidtmann spoke to the BOT about some of the challenges associated with fire-ban signage, reiterating how four of the District’s five signs have been damaged by vandalism, and how roadside signs along the state highway often run into issues with state right-of-way or private property lines. 

Schmidtmann added that though additional signage is being added, the District generally faces an indignant attitude from perpetrators in regards to when the fire ban needs to be actively enforced. He stated that the unhoused population have resorted to moving deeper into the forests in hopes to avoid enforcement by the NFPD and BCSO. 

Trustee Andrew Joslin said that the NFPD have “exhausted” the signage strategy and that he hopes to hear from the community about any creative solutions to the problems that the District and the BOT may be missing. Joslin noted that locals who witness an illegal fire should report it using the non-emergency dispatch number: 303-441-4444. 

The Nederland Board of Trustees meets on the first and third Tuesday of every month. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at 7 p.m. and can be attended either online or in person at the Nederland Community Center. 

For more information go to: townofnederland.colorado.gov/board-of-trustees.