NEDERLAND - The Nederland Fire Protection District (NFPD) Board of Directors met on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, to hear an update from the Boulder Watershed Collective (BWC) regarding their community engagement plan for a large mitigation effort deemed the Tucker Project. 

Julien Blundell of BWC led the Board in a presentation detailing the timeline of engagement leading up to the start of the project, which entails forest mitigation on the Tucker property, located west of Nederland between Eldora Road and Beaver Creek. 

Throughout March and April BWC hopes to collect community input from residents and stakeholder organizations, including Nederland’s Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Advisory Board, the Board of Trustees, Wild Bear Nature Center (WBNC), and Magnolia Forest Group. 

The engagement plan is expected to be finalized and released through several platforms, including The Mountain-Ear, Nedheads, and the Town of Nederland’s website. It is set to be accompanied by a Frequently Asked Questions document curated from community input. 

A site visit with project developers is tentatively planned for May 17, as is a launch event at the Nederland Community Center for June 12. Forest and fire ecology learning events through WBNC and plant walks on the Tucker property are also being planned. 

BWC hopes to increase their engagement for the Tucker project by being present at future Nederland events, including WBNC’s Earth Day celebration, Xcel Energy’s Emergency Preparedness Fair, and this summer’s Nederland Farmers Markets and Summer Concert Series.

A final site visit is tentatively planned for August, during which the finalized project guidelines will be discussed. BWC plans to continue hosting webinars and provide project updates up to the start of the project, planned for early 2026. 

Meanwhile, hoping to repeat last year’s successful efforts, BWC, Wildfire Partners, and TEENS, Inc. Youth Corps will be working together again to bring defensible space mitigation to the Old Town neighborhood on July 7 to July 18. They also aim to host home hardening demonstrations. 

Chief’s report 

NFPD Fire Chief Charlie Schmidtmann delivered his monthly report to the Board, detailing the calls of significance that took place since February 19, including two medical-related calls executed in conjunction with other agencies.

District personnel responded with Sugarloaf Fire Protection District to an unconscious patient. They also responded, along with Timberline Fire Protection District (TFPD), to a patient suffering cardiac distress. 

There were three motor vehicle accidents occurring within the last month, including one on Shelf Road, and an accident in Boulder Canyon resulting in a motorcycle being broken in half after striking a guardrail. 

Two calls of significance came from Eldora Mountain Ski Resort, including an accident involving a three-year-old suffering facial trauma who required a helicopter transport.

Chief Schmidtmann’s report also highlighted recent electrical issues experienced at the NFPD’s auxiliary fire station located on Ridge Road. The power issue was found to be caused by the electrical meter’s enclosure and requires an electrician for full repair. It was determined that the issue is also causing complications with the station’s garage door opener.

Collaboration with TFPD 

The Board was also given an update regarding the NFPD’s efforts to collaborate with TFPD on a forest mitigation program. Nederland will be attached to Timberline’s established program, with both entities to utilize their own equipment.

The Town of Nederland has expressed interest in benefitting from the two fire districts’ collaboration for mitigation of Town-owned properties and for training of Town staff in proper chainsaw safety.

The Town is currently attempting to develop a volunteer program for mitigation efforts, though the fact that the Town is not certified to train volunteers in this area has impeded that development.

Any chainsaw training that the NFPD provides to Town staff will not result in certification, possibly requiring the Town to contract out for such services in future endeavors involving forest mitigation. 

New truck in process

As for the District’s vehicles and equipment, Schmidtmann reported that work is continuing on the building of their newest fire engine.

“Rough wiring is complete as well as all cabinets have been mounted,” Schmidtmann’s report reads. “Captain Nick Faes built baskets and installed them. Light bars, antennas, radios, computers, and consoles have been built and installed.

“The base for the pump has also been built but we are waiting for some parts before we can send it out for powder coating. Both Daniel Murphy and Captain Faes have been doing an awesome job.”

Training update

Schmidtmann’s report also detailed the training that the District firefighters and EMS have experienced over the last month, highlighting that there are currently five recruits in Firefighter Type 1 training, and two in Firefighter Type 2 Wildland training. 

District personnel participated in two ice rescue trainings at Mud Lake. They also taught training sessions on forcible entry, chainsaw safety, and sand table scenarios, and attended Mass Casualty Incident and Hazmat training, incident command simulations, and decontamination drills.

Captain Glen Wheelock also ran an EMS training on cardiology and pneumothorax. EMS personnel were provided updated training on naloxone administration and overdose response. Additionally, it was reported that agreements were finalized with UCHealth regarding their sponsorship of the District’s in-house EMT training program. A curriculum and training schedules for the program have already been completed. 

Fire Marshal’s report

The Board was also presented with Fire Marshal Andrew Joslin’s monthly report, which tracked the inspections of Nederland area schools. The report notes that each school had specific requirements to meet in order to be in total compliance. 

 “Boulder Valley School District has been very receptive and dedicated to resolving the issues,” Joslin’s report reads. “Repairs have already been completed for the fire doors at Nederland Elementary School, and work and planning continues for the wood shop at Nederland Middle-Senior High School.

“Overall, the number of issues found is much less than previous years. Many thanks to the teachers and staff dedicated to creating a safe learning environment for our community’s students.”

Joslin’s report stated that he, Lieutenant Candidate Mandi Papich, and Captain Conor Moran have met with Utilities Department Manager Andrew Bliss to tour the Town’s water and wastewater treatment plants, learned of the department’s processes, and helped the department in regard to their fire and medical emergency response procedures. 

As for the efforts to provide more detailed and streamlined Wildland preparedness, Joslin reported that Wildland Action Command Kits have been completed and put into service. The kits include the recently created Wildland Job Aid and Wildfire Atlas, as well as QR codes which provide digital maps and geo-locating information.

Training with the kits has already been implemented, and kits are to be rolled out to all assigned apparatuses by next month. 

Board election canceled

The Board also voted to adopt Resolution 2025-03, authorizing the NFPD Board of Directors to cancel the upcoming May 6 election and instead elect the only three candidates for the three available terms. 

“The Board of Directors has duly certified that there were not more candidates for director than offices to be filled, including candidates filing affidavits of intent to be write-in candidates,” the Resolution reads. 

Ryan Keeler, Russell Panneton, and Robert Sheehan were elected to the three available seats on the Board of Directors for four-year terms.

The Nederland Fire Protection District Board of Directors meets on the third Wednesday of every month. Meetings can be attended online via Microsoft Teams. Their next meeting will be on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at 7 p.m. 

For more information go to: https://www.nfpd.org.