The Nederland Fire Protection District Board of Directors (NFPD) met on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at 7 p.m. to discuss the emergency call increase for Eldora Mountain Ski Resort. The Board were also notified that a vehicle had been stolen from the fire station’s parking lot.

Chief Charlie Schmidtmann presented his report, which detailed calls of significance to the Nederland Fire Department (NFD) from late February through early March.

NFD firefighters and EMS responded to a medical call of a possible stroke, and cared for a citizen who walked into the fire station suffering from a “significant cardiac problem.”

The March 13 and 14 blizzard, which brought 53 inches of snow to the Nederland area, caused many issues for the community that prompted responses from the NPD, including a major gas leak at a local business.

Since the Board’s last meeting on February 21, the NFD has responded to nine car crashes, including one call that required six hours of traffic control. Schmidtmann’s report also indicated an increase in calls to Eldora because both ski area staff and Eldora paramedics had suffered injuries.

Firefighters and EMS responded to nine calls to Eldora. Schmidtmann reported that Eldora representatives expect that there will be a need for NFD to respond to the ski area more frequently than usual until the end of the ski season.

Schmidtmann’s report also indicated the several vehicle repairs and station improvements over the last month, including the installation of a new pump, bumper, tires, and a new winch for vehicle 5650. Schmidtmann noted that he had winched eight vehicles out of the snow during the storm.

Vehicle 5654 broke down during the blizzard because of a dead battery that would not recharge. Schmidtmann noted that several tire chains had broken in the snow-clearing efforts after the storm.

The District has also put in a bid for a new replacement vehicle, a 2024 Dodge Ram 5500 with several adjustments to fit the department’s needs, for a total of $77,670. The expected delivery of the vehicle is still 120 to 240 days away.

The NFD Station 1 has been undergoing maintenance, including the removal of old carpets, with new carpets expected to be installed in early April. Also, old furniture will be replaced with new tables and desks, as well as a new couch and chairs.

The operations room has received some updates, including the construction of two wing walls, and the mechanic’s workshop has received a new large parts cabinet.

Concerning the 53 inches of snow, Schmidtmann reported: “We had an amazing job done by Captain Wheelock and an impressive response by several volunteers during this storm, keeping our stations opened, driveways cleared, and everyone safe. The only things that broke were a winch line and a few chains. Our winches, plow trucks and shovels were really put to the test this time!”

Schmidtmann also thanked John Snyder for his unsolicited act of assisting the NFD in clearing the snow from the station, arriving with heavy equipment at four in the morning.

It was also reported that a firefighter captain’s personal vehicle was stolen from outside the fire station about two weeks ago. Schmidtmann spoke with the Board about how this incident has prompted the need for security cameras around the parking lot and at the doors of the station, with a cost estimated to be over $1,000.

Town Administrator Miranda Fisher has suggested that Schmidtmann draft a letter to Sergeant Asa Mirriam of Boulder County Sheriff’s Department regarding what improvements to Nederland’s police coverage the District expects.

The Chief’s report mentioned that several members of the department have volunteered to become part of the new pension board, with an election to be held to pick the finalists. It was also reported that several firefighters planned to attend a UTV certification class being held on March 23 and 24.

Schmidtmann also addressed certain preventive measures that NFD firefighters can take to protect themselves from cancer, particularly testicular cancer, attributed to the material found within their heavy bunker gear. Recent studies have shown that hazardous Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found within the gear can be released from general wear and tear.

Firefighters are being advised to wear the bunker gear only when required. The International Association of Fire Fighters also suggests that the gear should not be taken into the station’s living areas; that when transporting gear in personal vehicles the gear should be kept in a sealed container or bag; that apparatus cabs should be cleaned regularly and after every fire; that hands should be washed after handling the gear; and that older gear should be replaced as soon as PFASfree equipment becomes available.

Fire Marshal Andrew Joslin delivered his report for late February through early March. The report noted that the fire safety re-inspection of the Nederland Elementary School was rescheduled due to the snowstorm. It had been previously reported that the initial inspection of the elementary school yielded 25 safety violations.

The template of a wildland worksheet is being reconsidered to be more of a workbook, with District IT staff working on the changes. Joslin indicated that he had received a second round of tactical wildland maps created by Ember Alliance. Joslin plans to meet with Ember Alliance, as well as with Timberline Fire, in order to offer more feedback on the maps, and will be searching for a vendor for printing.

Marshal Joslin’s report also detailed work being done to provide residents with more options in regards to making fee payments.

“We are currently considering PayPal, QuickBooks, or the State online payment portal (SIPA). We would like to provide the convenience for folks that would rather pay online than deliver/mail a check, however, we’d like for those folks to pay whatever extra convenience fees are added to the original amount,” the report reads.

The Board was tasked with deciding on how to make transferring funds through ColoTrust a more efficient process. Board president Guy Falsetti and District Administrator Sherry Snyder spoke on how they have experienced issues with ColoTrust’s two-step verification process.

“The process is cumbersome and there are deadlines that seem to change with each request,” the NFPDs official agenda reads, regarding the reported problems with ColoTrust.

Falsetti noted that, though the District was receiving an extra $5,000 a month in interest from investing with ColoTrust, he has personally experienced difficulty with ColoTrust accepting him as an approval authority since taking over the presidency of the Board. The miscommunication has created lapses in transferring the District’s funds, which Snyder indicated causes greater issues when attempting to pay the District’s bills.

The Board voted unanimously to appoint Chief Schmidtmann as the final approval authority for transferring the District’s funds through ColoTrust.

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 17, 2024, at 7 p.m.

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