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Report to the Community
At West Metro Fire Rescue, we believe in – “whatever it takes to serve.”
Our paramedics and firefighters answered more than
32,000 calls, responding to house fires, commercial fires,
wildland fires, rope rescues, car crashes and medical
emergencies.
In 2016…
Those same crews spent hundreds of hours on the training
ground and in the classroom, learning new skills and
techniques and brushing up on old ones to better serve the
district and keep you and your family safe.
Behind the scenes, our dispatchers were our lifeline, making
sure those who called 911, asking for assistance, got the help
they needed.
And, our Life Safety Division and Administration staff kept
the cities and counties we cover and our district on track.
All of the members of our team are dedicated to
doing our best to protect the lives and property
of those we serve.
www.westmetrofire.org
Message from the Chief
In 2016, our crews handled more than 32,000 emergency calls. We
responded to structure fires; in one incident, two of our firefighters rescued a five year old girl who had been hiding in her bedroom closet.
There is no higher calling than public service. And, at West Metro Fire
Rescue, that willingness to serve is embedded in our culture. From the
very first day of recruit academy, our firefighters learn that it’s important
to not only master the skills of a first responder, but to have compassion
and empathy for those we serve. When you call 911- it’s likely you’re
having your worst day.
We put out wildland fires, investigated a series of suspicious fires on Green Mountain, were on scene at
hundreds of vehicle crashes and helped deliver babies. Our technical rescue team aided injured hikers
and rock climbers. Our dive team made swift water and dive rescues.
It is a point of pride for me, as Chief, to know that our firefighters and staff come to work each day,
ready to shoulder the responsibility of keeping our district safe. You can count on us - when the alarm sounds we will respond quickly, we will arrive prepared, and we will be ready to fulfill our motto,
“Whatever It Takes To Serve.”
The year was also a year of changes for West Metro. In April, we merged with Wheat Ridge Fire, taking
on the responsibility of answering calls in the cities of Wheat Ridge and Edgewater. We now cover more
than 108 square miles in Jefferson and Douglas counties.
In 2016, West Metro became part of the Pulsepoint network, a smart phone app that allows people
trained in cardio pulmonary resuscitation or CPR to help us save lives. And, we graduated our largest
recruit class ever – 38 brand new firefighters, who quickly went to work to serve the people of our
district.
Fire Chief Don Lombardi
Fire, Medical & Rescue Response
Fire Related Calls: 4,414 Our crews were called to check out reports of
smoke, fire or carbon monoxide alarm activation
and confirmed structure, wildland or other fires.
In 2016, we responded to 692 confirmed
structure, grass, wildland and vehicle fires.
Medical Calls: 22,380
From an injured hiker on an area trail, to car
crashes, to someone suffering a heart attack, our
well-trained crews handled a wide variety of
medical emergencies in 2016.
The majority of people who call us for help are
dealing with a potentially life-threatening medical
issue- the reason why EMS calls make up the
bulk of what we do, day in and day out.
Special Team Calls: 499
Many of our firefighters are members of our
special teams and take on added responsibility
and training.
In 2016, the individual teams responded to a
variety of calls – dive and swift water rescue,
building collapse, technical or rope rescue and
hazardous materials leaks and spills.
2016 Total Calls: 32, 739
By the numbers…
call every 16 minutes
239
structure fires vehicle crashes
1,979
elevator rescues
66
Total 2016 Calls: 32, 739 (16% increase from 2015) Things to note:
EMS 68.8%
10%
12.1% 1.6%
5.4%
2.1% Fires
Public assist
Alarms Special ops Other
Call breakdown…
2016 Financials
Our Finance Division takes it’s job seriously. Our goal is to use our financial resources wisely,
always keeping in mind how best we can serve the people who live and work in our district.
The decisions we make on what to spend and what to save are based on our Strategic Plan, that
looks into the future, how we expect our population to grow and what challenges that may bring.
At West Metro Fire Rescue, we believe in transparency, one reason why in 2016, we joined with
Open Gov, a financial transparency platform, where you can see up to the minute revenue and
expenditures. Find it at wmfdco.opengov.com.
Where the money comes from…
Where the money goes…
Property taxes
75.5%
EMS revenue 7.7%
Permits 0.5%
Grants 2% 6.4%
Contractual revenue
Ownership taxes 3.1%
Other revenue 4.8%
Operations
64.8%
Administration
10.1%
Go Debt Service
4.5% Fund
Life Safety 3.6%
Training Center 2.3%
USAR-COFT1 1.8%
Apparatus Internal Service
4.4% Fleet Maintenance
2.1%
GO & Capital Projects
1.8% Wheat Ridge 4.4%
Grants 0.1%
Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
In 2016, our crews responded to more than
22,300 emergency medical related calls, a 15%
increase over 2015. In a majority of those calls,
we transported patients to area hospitals.
All of our firefighters are either paramedics or
Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), which
means that expert care begins as soon as we
arrive on scene.
West Metro Launches Pulsepoint
Total EMS Calls: 22,380
In 2016, West Metro launched the Pulsepoint
CPR/AED smartphone application to help improve
survival rates for sudden cardiac arrest in the fire
district.
The app alerts citizens and medical professionals,
trained in CPR, to people who need help close by
and shows them the location of the nearest
automated external defibrillator (AED), a portable
device that sends an electric shock to the heart to
restore a normal rhythm.
Throughout the year, our crews were continually
training to stay current on changing policies and
procedures in the world of emergency medicine.
We train our paramedics and EMT’s through a
combination of in house and outside programs,
designed to maintain our high standard of care.
West Metro paramedics staffed 184 contracted
special events in 2016, such as concerts at Red
Rocks and other community activities.
EMS Training, Special Events
WMFR Training Division
In 2016, every West Metro Fire Rescue firefighter
completed nearly 240 hours of training. Almost
every day of the week, crews are at our Training
Center, getting hands on instruction in new
strategies and techniques.
At West Metro, we believe in being prepared to
serve our community, no matter the emergency.
Training not only helps us help you, but, it also
helps us keep our crews safe.
The fire service is not a stagnant profession, we
strive to learn so we can achieve our mission of
protecting lives and property.
The 2016 recruit academy was the largest of its
kind in the history of our district. We graduated
38 brand new West Metro firefighters, five new
Castle Rock firefighters and three new
Cunningham firefighters.
The collaboration between fire agencies allowed
us to bring in a number of experts to train the
recruits, giving them a wider perspective and
understanding of the fire service. Opening up our
academy to other districts also helped save
resources.
We Invest in Training
2016 Recruit Academy
Training Division’s Mission No matter where a firefighter is in their career-
just starting out, or with years of experience- their
health and well being is extremely important to
the fire district.
Training helps us pinpoint safety concerns and
identify strategies that could save lives. Not only
the lives of the citizens we serve, but our
firefighters as well.
WMFR Life Safety Division
There is no better way to be prepared than to be
informed. And, in 2016, West Metro’s Life Safety
Division continued its commitment to keeping our
residents and businesses safe.
The Division is responsible for guiding
developers and builders through construction
codes and standards from the planning stage
through the life of all structures within the fire
district. Life Safety also educates our community
to be aware of, prevent and reduce accidents and
injuries.
Reaching Out
In 2016, our firefighters and educators headed
out to area classrooms, businesses, community
events and festivals to talk about fire prevention
and safety, and to assist in emergency planning.
West Metro helped businesses conduct
evacuation drills, installed smoke alarms, gave
tours of our fire stations and participated in Bike
to School and Walk to School events.
In all, we reached out to more than 90,000
people.
Reducing Risk
West Metro’s Life Safety Division works to
empower the citizens who live and work in our
district with valuable information that can prevent
or reduce the impact of fire, and other risks of
daily living that often result in emergency
response.
Preserving Life and Property
Events & Volunteers
We’re a part of the community Our firefighters and staff like nothing better than
getting out into the community we serve. That’s
why we take every opportunity to join in on the
festivals, parades and fairs that take place in our
district every year. We hardly ever turn down an
invitation.
And, we like nothing better than hosting our own
event – the West Metro Family Fire Muster. In
2016, we held the 22nd annual Muster, and some
3,000 of you came out to join in the fun.
Held each September, the Muster is family-
friendly and allows us to show you what we do.
The focus is on family preparedness and how to
stay safe at home and on the road.
Volunteers make it happen Events like the Muster wouldn’t happen without
volunteers – who every year, work thousands of
hours helping us reach out to our community.
We’re grateful for them, they’re vital to our
success.
Family Fire Muster
Accreditation
Among the few West Metro Fire Rescue is one of just over 220
fire agencies worldwide, recognized as an
Accredited Agency under the Center for Public
Safety Excellence (CPSE).
The process to become an accredited agency is
long, arduous and exacting. To become
accredited, we had to take a critical look at our
past, current and future service levels and
compare ourselves to industry best practices and
standards.
The result- quicker response times and better
service for the residents in the West Metro
district.
Whatever it takes… to serve
Ongoing process
Accreditation is an ongoing process and we are
continually looking for opportunities to improve.
West Metro Fire Rescue achieved accreditation
in August of 2012 and we will be seeking
reaccreditation in 2017.
As part of that process, we will be partnering with
community leaders and residents, to listen to
what you have to say about our service and how
we can do better.
From our firefighters to our dispatchers to our
staff, we know you rely on us to be there when
you need us.
It’s our promise that we will be.
West Metro Fire Protection District invites you to join us in serving our community. Here are a few ways that you can get started.
Participate:
Prepare your home and your family:
• Learn CPR – contact the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association or a
company that offers public CPR and first aid classes
• Download the Pulsepoint App to your phone
• Complete your own safety profile at www.Smart911.com
• Complete a File of Life for any family members with medical conditions
• Enroll in the Code Red Alert system to receive emergency notifications regarding
your neighborhood
• Make sure you have working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms on every
level of your home and near the sleeping areas
• Make sure your family has a home escape plan, with two ways out of your home and
a designated meeting place • Use a home safety checklist at your home to prepare for fires and other emergencies
Join the West Metro Fire Protection District Kids Club to receive monthly emails with
seasonal safety activities for kids and invitations to the events we host and attend.
If you live in a wildland interface area, organize with your neighbors to become a
Fire Adapted Community.
Volunteer:
West Metro Fire Protection District’s annual Family Fire Muster
West Metro Fire Protection District’s Community Education Programs
Be involved
Attend a meeting:
Our Board of Directors meets the third Tuesday of every month at our
administration offices- 433 South Allison Parkway in Lakewood. The meeting gets
underway at 7 p.m.
Visit our website: www.westmetrofire.org. Administrative Offices – (303) 989-4307