Hartsel FPD experiencing rapid growth

  Assistant Fire Chief Matt Brooks joined the HFPD team in October this year, bringing over five years of previous firefighter volunteer experience and a love for the South Park area. In addition to fighting fires and rescuing people, Brooks is in charge of rigs, facility maintenance, training and is second in command in the district.

  Chief Cook also doubled his available engines. He had two in-service and got one functioning after a complete rebuild and purchased a 2007 fire engine from a department in Michigan, bringing the total to four. 

  The 2007 engine is located at the Ranch of the Rockies station three and sparkles next to the other three engines which are from the late 1990's.

  The HFPD also obtained three sets of new extraction equipment and the team is building a "live burn facility." This is being built with steel containers and will be the second one in Park County (the other being at Platte Canyon). 

  Fire Chief Cook is big on collaboration with other fire districts who will be invited to join the HFPD team in training at the upcoming live burn facility.

  Speaking of collaboration, the HFPD acquired a structure to burn and so they did for training. Most of the volunteers had not had the opportunity to be in a burning structure from the beginning because on most calls, the fire has usually burned the structure to the ground in the few minutes it takes the crew to arrive. There were 18 firefighters from the HFPD and the Southern Park County Fire Protection District based out of Guffey participating.

  "It was an eye opener for lots of the volunteers because none had been in a fire like that," Chief Cook said.

  Cook is also building strong and reciprocal relationships with the South Park Ambulance District, Park County Sheriff's Office, neighboring fire districts and members of the community. The HFPD had a large presence at the annual Hartsel Days event, the PCSO's National Night Out, and sponsored a spaghetti dinner and Thanksgiving dinner in conjunction with community organizations.

  Community members have seen less of Chief Cook lately, in fact, 30 pounds less.

  "I have been so busy that I have not taken time to stop for lunch," Cook said.