Fire and Emergency Services
Mission
Provide Professional and Reliable Emergency Services to the Community We Serve.
Vision
The best DOD fire and emergency services through Values, Integrity, Strength, Innovation, Organization and Never-Ending Commitment.
Address
Fort Carson Fire and Emergency Services
6510 Wetzel Avenue
Building 1805
Fort Carson, CO 80913
Who Are We
Fort Carson Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) is committed to providing the best and most progressive emergency services to the community. We are known as an innovative leader in Army fire protection. Fort Carson F&ES was awarded the Army’s Top Fire Department in 1999, 2003 and IMCOM West Fire Department of the Year in 2009. Not only do we provide service to our own community, we regularly provide support to the surrounding communities though automatic and mutual aid agreements.
Our professional, caring and dedicated personnel make the service we provide No. 1. Their innovative vision, desire and skills have made us a very progressive leader in Department of Defense (DOD) Fire Service worldwide. Our personnel are equipped with the finest, state of the art apparatus and equipment. Many programs, adopted DOD-wide, are born here. Special programs and involvement with other agencies keep our personnel on the cutting edge.
Operations personnel are assigned to a seven platoon schedule; each firefighter works 72 hours a week by completing 48-hour shifts. Minimum staffing level is approximately 30 personnel per day. The Emergency Communication Center is staffed 24/7 by personnel working 12-hour shifts. Our Fire Prevention Branch is staffed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day with on call fire investigators available 24/7.
Services
Fire Suppression
Fire Suppression
Fire suppression is still our primary mission. Fire loss has been kept to a minimum through the fast and competent actions of our firefighters. Our firefighters are equipped with the finest apparatus and the state-of-the-art equipment. Through continual practical fire training and extensive educational opportunities, we ensure that our personnel can "protect those who protect our country."
Emergency Medical Services
Emergency Medical Services
Modern day emergency medical services (EMS) continue to evolve through advanced equipment, training and technology. Fort Carson F&ES responds to all EMS calls along with transporting ambulances. This helps with quicker response times due to locations of fire stations. All operations personnel are trained to the EMT-Basic level and frontline engines respond with Advanced Life Support (ALS) Paramedics. Progressive EMS protocols along with standing orders and directives from our physician advisor help improve our standard of care.
Technical Rescue
Technical Rescue
Fort Carson F&ES provides a variety of technical rescue services such as confined space, rope, vehicle/machinery extrication, swift water, trench and structural collapse. The technical rescue team operates Heavy Rescue 31 (HR-31). Our department is one of 14 departments in Colorado that makes up the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Colorado Urban Search and Rescue Task Force (COTF-1). Our training area with extensive props has made us an integral part of the training and certification for FEMA COTF-1. Our heavy rescue team works close with the Colorado Springs Fire Department Heavy Rescue team, training and working together on a regular basis. Personnel from our department were deployed to New York City in 2001 for the World Trade Center terrorist attacks for urban search and rescue as part of COTF-1.
Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting
Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting
Butts Army Heliport is home to the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division. We support aircraft training, maintenance and operations to ensure availability for deployment worldwide. The United States Air Force and USAF Academy regularly use the runways for fixed wing trainer aircraft and C-130 Hercules missions. On occasion, civilian aircraft are authorized use of the airfield. We provide fire suppression and rescue services to Butts Army Heliport as well as to two remote airstrips located at Red Devil and PCMS. Additionally, personnel have the rescue training and ability to respond to high altitude crash rescue incidents that occur in the surrounding mountainous terrain.
Hazardous Materials Response
Hazardous Materials Response
FCF&ES is tasked with providing operations and technician level response to all hazardous materials incidents on Fort Carson, as well as providing incident commanders to manage the incidents. All firefighters are required to be certified to the Hazardous Materials Operations level with more than 90 percent at the technician level. A specialized team of DOD-certified Hazardous Materials Technician level responders is assigned at Station 32 for immediate dispatch to all hazardous material spills, releases and terrorist events. All fire department officers are certified at the Hazardous Materials Incident Commander level.
Wildland Fire
Wildland Fire
Fort Carson F&ES supports wildland fire protection and suppression to Fort Carson’s 138,000 acres and PCMS’s 250,000 acre located 150 miles south of the main installation. F&ES personnel are trained to the National Wildfire Coordinating Group’s (NWCG) standards that meet the new DOD Wildland Fire Policy. The installation has agreements with local, state and federal agencies to assist in combating wildfires in the now decade long drought. Our Prescribed Fire Program has reduced the threat wildfires in the small and large arms range areas, by reducing the amount of accumulated vegetation. This ensures that military training continues without the loss of valuable training time and the shutdown of units waiting for fires to be suppressed. This also reduces the possibility of a large wildfire escaping the boundary of the installation.
Training
Training
The Fire Training Center is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, including a three-story class B fire tower, a two-story class A fire building, a four-story confined space trainer and a 40-person classroom outfitted with video teleconferencing equipment. The Training Branch also has several mobile trainers including a helicopter simulator, HazMat trailer, roof ventilation trailer and a class B simulator. Training is the cornerstone of our service delivery. Our Training Branch facilitates thousands of hours of training annually. Additionally, we are a State of Colorado Paramedic CEU Group as well as an EMT-IV training center.
Fire Prevention Branch
Primary Services
Facility fire and life safety hazard inspections
Codes and Standards Construction
- Plans review
- All new construction project review
- All existing construction project review
Fire investigation
- All fires in jurisdiction investigated for cause and origin
- Investigation services to neighboring agencies
Public Education
- School-age fire prevention activities
- Building fire marshal training
- Day care provider fire education
- Fire drills (education and day care facilities)
- Children’s smokehouse demonstrations
- Fire extinguisher training
- Help for the juvenile fire setter
Prevention Pays Off
One of the major highlights for the division are the annual Fire Prevention Week activities. Each school on post is visited by Sparky the Firedog and our inspectors with a message of fire and general safety. Other prevention activities include a coloring contest with great prizes, a stove fire demonstration and safety giveaways. With over 12,000 contacts annually, the message of fire and general safety makes a large impact on the public. Fire Prevention helps ensure that injuries and fire loss are being held at a negligible level. If we can help you identify potential life safety hazard, set up a training session, talk about children and fire, or answer any questions please contact any inspector via phone or email.
Additional Services:
- Back up support as firefighters during major incidents
- Logistical support to operations division
- Rehab supplies during major incidents and large wildland fires
The Fire Prevention Branch is located in the Fire and Emergency Services Fire Station 33 on the second floor, building 9665, Fort Carson, CO 80913.