The Nederland Fire Protection Department (NFPD) Board of Trustees met on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, at 7 p.m. to solidify the bylaws for the newly reinstated Pension Board. The Board also heard an update regarding the Nederland Fire Department being sponsored to run their own Emergency Medical Technician training.

The Board discussed the most recent draft of the bylaws for the recently reinstated Pension Board and clarified issues concerning the definition of quorum for the new board and the training requirements for firefighters to earn and maintain their pensions.

Quorum, which is defined to be the lowest attendance required in order for a meeting to be officially valid, was described within Article IV of the Pension Board bylaws as required for any action or vote to be made. Additionally, because the bylaws prohibited proxy voting, “a majority of the quorum is required to determine, or reconsider a prior determination of, eligibility for the amount of a benefit or award.”

Considering the Pension Board has only three members and meets with the NFPD Board of Directors before their scheduled meetings, the NFPD’s five Board members were also included as part of the Pension Board. Now with a total of eight members, it was set within the bylaws that five members must be present to meet quorum.

Article V of the Pension Board bylaws detail the eligibility requirements of firefighters in order to receive pension benefits, including the provision to have maintained a minimum of 36 training hours per year for each year that pension services were received between May 2, 2012, and June 30, 2022.

Fire Chief Charlie Schmidtmann noted that the Nederland Fire Department (NFD) staff were working toward obtaining training records from 2013 to 2018 that would clarify whether any of NFD’s firefighters maintained those 36 required hours to qualify for pension benefits.

The NFPD approved having the Pension Board bylaws reviewed by their attorney before they move forward with a final vote on the document.

The NFPD has been approved by the State of Colorado to manage and host an Emergency Medical Technician training program. Front Range Community College is sponsoring the District in this endeavor, with the program expected to launch in the fall. Schmidtmann expressed his appreciation to Captain Moran and Cameron Moran for their work on bringing such an exciting opportunity together.

Captain Moran and Cameron Moran also organized and managed the District’s Emergency Medical Response training class. Four NFD responders completed the class and are preparing to take the state exam.

District Administrator Sherry Snyder updated the Board on the issues with U.S. Bank regarding opening a new bank account. The NFPD previously agreed to do business with U.S. Bank after their current bank, Citywide, abandoned their Nederland location.

Snyder expressed frustration at U.S. Bank’s service in attempting to set up a new bank account for the NFPD. Over the last three months the bank has charged the District fees for accounts that NFPD officials say they have not been able to access due to those accounts having been improperly activated.

After considering U.S. Bank’s service, including their lack of email response to the NFPD’s concerns, the Board agreed with Snyder and Schmidtmann’s determination to continue doing business with Citywide Bank.

Board members were tasked with voting on Chief Schmidtmann’s request to spend $23,192.34 on new radios and radio equipment to replace old equipment and ensure that there is no gap in communication between firefighters.

The quote, from Complete Wireless Technologies, is for six BKR9000 portable handheld radios, with six antennas, batteries, speaker mics, and dual bay chargers. The NFPD currently has $135,000 in their 2024 budget allocated to new radio equipment.

Approval of this expenditure was unanimous.

Chief Schmidtmann presented his Chief’s Report, which detailed the calls of significance, fire station and vehicle repairs, personnel training, and EMS operations from late April to early May, 2024.

Schmidtmann reported that there were no calls of significance. The NFD has responded to a total of 174 calls in 2024, which Schmidtmann noted was on average with last year’s numbers, despite there being a significantly higher number of calls this winter compared to last year.

Security cameras and storage base stations were installed at the NFD fire station. Schmidtmann detailed that he and other officials receive alerts on their phones and can view feeds from the five outdoor cameras placed at the major entrances and exits to the building, as well as the parking lot.

NFD vehicles received repairs and routine maintenance, from new brakes and an oil change to a new direct fill valve. A Volvo, donated to the NFD by Captain Conor Moran and Cameron Moran, was also repaired in order for it to be registered; the Volvo is expected to be used for training purposes.

The District hosted two medical training courses from late April to early May, including a helicopter training course, and two wildland classes, including the RT 130/190 wildland fire safety training, which more than 30 firefighters across Boulder County attended.

Four NFD women firefighters attended the “women in fire day” at the Boulder Regional Training Center. Schmidtmann was proud to mention that Nederland had the most women firefighters of any other agency.

Schmidtmann reported that he had completed the Community Risk Reduction course, which was the second of three sections of the Chief Officer Training Curriculum. Firefighter Bobby Swanson attended the three-day vehicle extrication workshop Auto X in Arvada; and firefighters Mandi and Scott Papich completed their UTV certification.

Seven NFD firefighters were placed on modified administrative leave because they had not completed their biannual competency reviews. Schmidtmann noted that the repercussions were established in order to solidify his stated goal: that the NFPD be entirely competent.

According to Schmidtmann, all seven responders accepted responsibility and all but one had completed their competency reviews within three days of having been reprimanded.

Though the application process for the Boulder County Firefighters Association’s fall academy begins in June, Schmidtmann reported that the District has already received notice from 11 interested parties. Schmidtmann added that, though the NFPD does not have openings for all those interested, he views that as Nederland becoming recognized as an elite agency, which he said bolsters the respect firefighters have for their District.

The District’s Emergency Medical Services received a new stretcher and stair chair for their new ambulance, but have yet to receive their order of video laryngoscopes, which has been delayed due to technical issues with the devices. Schmidtmann and EMS staff are currently researching alternatives.

Schmidtmann also presented Board members with Fire Marshal Andrew Joslin’s report, which contained updates on the inspections, projects, and wildland operations from late April through early May, 2024.

Joslin completed the Residential Sprinkler Review through the National Fire Academy, which is the first of three courses required for Inspector III certification.

The Marshal’s report noted that some commercial sprinkler permits were currently being reviewed, as well as several residential permits attributed to several developments along Ridge Road.

The District’s permitting and inspections process is being run through the program First Due, which Joslin has been implementing for several months. Joslin reported that, after much modification and troubleshooting, First Due can be considered a completed module once every permit type has been issued through the new system.

Joslin reported that the wildland operations workbook had been completed and that the tactical wildland maps being created by Ember Alliance were nearly ready for print, though the maps may still require some final editing.

Chief Schmidtmann shared with the Board his experience from attending a meeting with 30 members of the Boulder Valley School District (BVSD), two area Fire Chiefs, and members from the Office of Disaster Management. The meeting was focused on the logistics of school evacuations during a wildland fire.

Schmidtmann said that the meeting was “eye opening” for those representing BVSD. It was noted that schools did not evacuate during the Marshal Fire. However, it was discussed during this meeting the benefits of an in-place shutdown compared to a full evacuation.

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, June 19, 2024, at 7 p.m.

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