2008 Chief's Report

2008 was a busy year for the Spanish Peaks Fire Department. SPVFD had over 140 calls in 2008. This was a slight decrease from 2007; the most notable decrease was in the number of structure fires. Medical calls continued to account for the greatest number of calls in our area.

In 2008, we did not add any large equipment, instead focusing on tools and protective equipment to make our firefighters safer and able to respond to calls more effectively. We put automatic tire chains on both of our structure engines so that they could respond to structure fires in teh winter in a safer manner. We also ordered a small amount of Personal Protective Equipment to allow our firefighters to safely fight structure fires. Sidewinders were added to two of our brush trucks, for more effective storage of hose.

It is important to note that residents of the town of Aguilar are now required to obtain a burn permit for any burning they wish to do, including burning in a barrel and burning yard debris. All residents of Las Animas County are required to obtain a burn permit to burn any type of waste. Weather conditions must be optimal before we will issue a burn permit: humdity must be above 15%, wind speed must be below 5 mph, and the temerpature must be below 100 degrees. Even if it seems that weather conditions are perfect in the morning, we may decline to issue a permit if weather forecasts show that weather conditions will not remain optimal through the remainder of the day.

SPVFD has participated in a great deal of training in the past year. Two more of our volunteer firefighters took the EMT-B course offered at TSJC, allowing them to take the National Registry test and become EMTs. Several firefighters have completed required wildland firefighter classes, and this year we will be holding intensive structure firefighter classes. This year, we also hosted a county wide class in Firefighting in the Urban Interface, which taught skills regarding wildfires that approach towns or subdividions. Five SPVFD firefighters successfully completed this class.

We are continuing to work on our mapping project, enableing us to not only respond to locations quicker, but to be aware before we even get to a fire scene, what kind of terrain and structures may be involved in a wildland fire. This project will be on-going for several years, and we welcome help from Home Owners Associations as they map their subidivisions and update prior information.

The SPVFD Auxiliary has once again been a tremendous help to our firefighters. The Auxiliary provides food for our training sessions, as well as making sure that firefighters hae food, coffee and water available on a fire scene. They have pruchased a washer and dryer for us to clean our Personal Protectie Equipment at the station, meaning that our gear lasts longer and is safer for us to wear. They have also provided our firefighters with new flashlights. The Auxiliary sponsored public safety funcitons and helped us in keeping the community aware of the need for mitigation. I appreciate their efforts.

I would lke to take this time to thank all of our current volunteers. Your hard work, long hours of training, and dedication to the community are appreciated beyond measure. I would especially like to thank Assistant Chief Larry Broach and Dispatcher/Administrative Assistant Keisha Broach for going above and beyond the call of duty in their service to the Spanish Peaks Volunteer Fire Department.

As always, we need your help. SPVFD is always in need of volunteer firefighers. We p-ay for all of your gear and training, and offer an incentive program as a thank you for volunteering your time. Also, if you have an intereste in becoming an EMT, we will pay for that training as well. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer firefighter, you can call the station at 941-4107. Volunteer firefighting is an exciting and rewarding experience!

Thank you,

Mike Zanolini

Fire Chief

Spanish Peaks Volunteer Fire Department