New graduates from the BCFFA Fire Academy – and their Chief: Back row: Bobby Swanson, Joe Luna, Scott Papich, Steve Cepek, Max Schmidtmann, Chris Lynch, Chuck Chadakoff, Larissa Briscombe, Fire Chief Charlie Schmidtmann. Front row: Tara Sergo, Mandi Papich, and Bretlyn Schmidtmann[/caption]

The Nederland Fire Protection District (NFPD) Board of Directors met on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at 7 p.m. to review the calls of significance that occurred over the last month, as well as all the station and equipment repairs and updates. Also, four of the Nederland Fire Department’s volunteers graduated from Boulder County’s firefighting academy.

Fire Chief Charlie Schmidtmann presented his monthly report and introduced the President of the Pension Board, Larissa Briscombe, and Secretary Mandi Papich, who were both recently appointed to the new board.

Schmidtmann discussed the logistics as to when the Pension Board would meet and how they would be calculating eligibility for retroactive pension benefits.

Briscombe and Papich are currently working on a new draft of the Pension Board’s bylaws, which will lay out the requirements for pension benefit eligibility. The Pension Board is expected to present to the NFPD a list of those members who are eligible for retroactive pension benefits; the NFPD would then draft a change to their budget and vote on that change.

The Pension Board is expected to meet 30 minutes before the NFPD’s scheduled meetings. Schmidtmann remarked that though the plan is for the Pension Board eventually to meet only twice a year, they will have to meet significantly more frequently in their first year.

The Chief’s report detailed the calls of significance taking place between late March and early April. Fire and EMS crews responded to a vehicle accident resulting in a rollover on Boulder Canyon Drive, and helped a patient with severe stroke symptoms as well as a person suffering abdominal pains. While transporting that patient, the Nederland Fire Department (NFD) received a call for another rollover in the canyon.

The NFD also responded to an old dog on the Hessie Trail who needed an evacuation back to the trailhead. A crew was able to utilize the department’s UTV to safely rescue and transport the dog.

The wind storm, which took place over the weekend of April 6 and 7, was noted in the Chief’s report as resulting in “countless trees in the roads, on power lines, across driveways, etc.” Schmidtmann also noted that the NFD crews did an amazing job mitigating the damage from the storm.

The Board asked Schmidtmann to share his opinion on Xcel Energy’s decision to de-energize power lines during the wind storm. Schmidtmann noted that he attended nine emergency meetings within those three days of power outage, and that he believed Xcel’s decision was the right one.

Schmidtmann stated that the three hours’ notice given was not sufficient, especially for members of the community who require medical equipment. But despite the insufficient warnings, Schmidtmann commented that NFD personnel were more than adequately prepared, and that they had backup oxygen to deliver to those in need.

“We are anticipating this as the new norm,” Schmidtmann said.

As for what Schmidtmann and the NFD learned from the power outage, it was reported that the outage made communication with the town of Eldora extremely difficult. The power outage caused Eldora’s phone lines to go down, and with limited cell phone coverage in the town, the NFD were unable to remain updated during the storm and consequent outage.

The Board will continue to discuss how to maintain emergency communications with the town of Eldora at a future meeting.

Schmidtmann also detailed to the Board the projects and repairs to the district’s stations and to their equipment and vehicles. The installation of the fire station’s new carpet is complete and the Ops, Training, and Bunk rooms have all been painted, as well as the first floor hallways. New furniture has been delivered and assembled, ceiling repairs have been completed, and electrical work has been completed.

The department’s new tool cabinet was installed. Schmidtmann reported that a volunteer had opened too many of the cabinet’s drawers at one time, causing it to fall; the cabinet has now been bolted to the wall. It was also mentioned that a volunteer had driven into the fire station’s garage door, which was quickly repaired with two spare panels that were available.

The District’s Emergency Medical Response (EMR) class has begun, with four of the class’s 30 students being from NFD. Schmidtmann added that he has already been approached by Boulder County Open Space to host another EMR class. Captain Glen Wheelock hosted an IV training as well as other medical competency training sessions, and Captain Nick Faes hosted a live burn training. The District will also be hosting a swiftwater class and a wildland refresher training.

On Monday, April 15, four NFD firefighters graduated from the Boulder County Firefighters Association (BCFFA) Spring 2024 Firefighter Academy, along with volunteer firefighters from Allenspark, Berthoud, Lefthand, and Hygiene Fire Districts. This year’s Spring academy class was one of the largest in recent history, which both instructors, Captain Robert O’Donnell and Russ Benzel, noted as a group with special and inseparable camaraderie.

“Why do I love this group? Because they have a lot of grit,” O’Donnell said to the audience at the academy’s graduation ceremony. “No one ever hid, they never quit. The first Saturday we went through 18 fire rotations, and they didn’t give up…they wanted more.”

Nederland firefighters Steven Cepek, Chris Lynch, and Max Schmidtmann all completed the Firefighter I course, and Bobby Swanson completed the Firefighter II course. Benzel presented the BCFFA Will Easland Firefighter Excellence Award to James Bentley of Berthoud Fire.

Fire Marshal Andrew Joslin delivered his report for late March/ early April, reporting multiple business inspections having been completed, including some food truck permits. A Hot Work permit, which is required for any jobs that may use open flames or torches, was issued to AmeriGas regarding burning natural gas associated with oil extraction, a process known as gas flaring. Joslin will meet with state personnel in order to complete an inspection of the AmeriGas site.

Joslin also completed home ignition reports and site surveys for several residents who requested them because they were required in order to apply for a state grant.

The District has begun implementing Colorado’s Statewide Internet Portal Authority (SIPA) online payment processing portal. Joslin, along with District Administrator Sherry Snyder, are working on the rollout, which will allow permits to be paid online, as well as allow the NFPD to accept online payments for certain training courses.

Joslin provided updates on the wildland operations workbook and the tactical wildland maps being created by Ember Alliance. The workbook is awaiting an updated phone tree and additions to Boulder County’s Communication Plan. The maps are nearly complete and Joslin is looking into the cost for printing.

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, May 15, 2024, at 7 p.m.

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