Fire Service Remains a Question in No Mans Land

Clara Aucoin

1/27/2005 - People who live in Gilpin County in what is known as No Man’s Land should be concerned. They should be very concerned. The problem is fire coverage, from where it will come and when it will come, perhaps, if it will come. The other problem, if it exists, is one that allows petty personal emotions to dictate from whom and from where the fire help is called.

  For Gilpin County, fire districts are plenty. High Country has its boundary lines, Colorado Sierra has its district, and of course the two cities have coverage dictated by their city limits and their growth areas. There is Coal Creek Fire District, and next door there is Golden, Idaho Springs and Nederland. Although those districts co-exist, the fire districts and departments in question have not always gotten along with each other. In some instances allegiances have been forged and animosity and competitiveness reigns. At times, contentiousness still rules unfortunately.  

  No Man’s Land is the portion of Gilpin County that is not in a fire district. Some of the areas include Bald Mountain, Apex Road, and areas behind the County Road and Bridge Shops, as well as other sections of the county. No specific district is charged with covering calls in No Man’s Land, although traditionally Central City Volunteer Fire Department has been first toned to No Man’s Land. At first this situation was due to the fact, allegedly, according to Central City Volunteer Fire Department, that Black Hawk and High Country Volunteer Fire Department did not want to be toned. As of now, however, Black Hawk and High Country both say they will respond to any portion of Gilpin County where they are dispatched to a call. Where and when certain fire departments respond, and under whose authority may be part of the problem. There is a story behind the relationships of the fire districts that goes back a good number of years.

  Prior to 1999 areas of Gilpin County had long been earmarked for coverage by specific fire districts, usually the one housing the property. No Man’s Land areas were toned out to Central City Volunteer Fire Department and Fire Chief Gary Allen determined who to call next.

  In 1999, however, an Intergovernmental Agreement was signed that changed some ground rules. The IGA designated growth areas and city limits for both Black Hawk and Central City. It did not specifically say who would respond to certain areas, but it dictated who would not respond to some areas. Specifically, neither Black Hawk Fire Department nor Central City Volunteer Fire Department was allowed to respond to fire calls in the growth area or city limits of the other. The only exception to the rule was for mutual aid calls, which calls include any house fires called in during the weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

  The signing of the IGA, for a while, raised more questions than answers. Black Hawk sued somebody, Central City sued somebody, and the Sheriff was sued as well. The County, caught in the middle of the disagreement set about trying to resolve the problem areas, in this case the lower part of SH. 119. That portion of SH. 119 had traditionally been a portion of No Man’s Land and had been covered by Central City Volunteer Fire Department. Under the IGA, it specified that Central City could not respond to lower SH. 119 because it had become a portion of Black Hawk’s growth area. Central City was not happy with the change and the Sheriff under whose office all the calls are generated through dispatch just wanted it resolved and everything legal.

  Several years and lots of ill will later, another agreement was signed. In 2003, Black Hawk, Central City and Sheriff Bruce Hartman representing Gilpin County signed an agreement saying SH. 119 belonged to Black Hawk’s territory and dictated Black Hawk would be called primary for that area. .

  Most recently a structure fire at 3 a.m. caused the issue of who is to be dispatched to be raised again. The house fire was located on Swamp Angel Lane, in an area located behind Columbine Campground. Central City was toned out as well as all other fire departments, but Central City stood Black Hawk Fire Department down, telling it not to respond. Long after the initial call, Black Hawk was toned for back-up only and then to cover for Central City only. The house was a total loss and questions are being asked. The largest and most obvious is whether Black Hawk Fire could have responded much sooner and perhaps saved the house.

  Central City Volunteer Fire Department was toned in the middle of the night. Most of the Central City fire fighters live outside the City. The question was raised as to whether Black Hawk may have responded faster since Black Hawk is much closer than the Justice Center and the Black Hawk Firemen are on duty 24-7.

  Central City Volunteer Fire Chief Gary Allen said that Black Hawk had no equipment available that could access the structure fire and it had no tankers. That story was backed up by members of the Colorado Sierra Volunteer Fire Department who were also toned out by Chief Allen. Allen also called out Idaho Springs Fire Department. When the fire departments arrived they joined the resident to watch his house burn. It was a total loss.

  According to Brian Lesher, Fire Chief for Black Hawk, the facts are somewhat different. The city does have a four wheel drive truck built specifically for the small difficult to access roads. In addition, that truck carries 300 gallons of water and a 250 gallon a minute pump. Finally, the small four wheel drive truck can be tethered to a 1,000 gallon tanker truck which provides water without accessing the narrow roads. Lesher says he does not know why Black Hawk was not toned out to the structure fire.

  The issue of fire districts had come before and gone before. The County Fathers have tried to alleviate the bickering and fighting that has been going on between the departments. The County has looked at the idea of an overall fire district for the entire county, so far that idea has been rejected. Last Tuesday, this item was again brought before the Commissioners.

  But how far can the Commissioners go on this? They do not have the authority, according to the County Attorney, to determine who has fire coverage and what fire coverage they have, they do not even have the authority to order fire coverage, says the attorney. That is probably correct.

  Also whether correct or not, the Commissioners are reluctant to wade into a situation that would require a creation of a fire district and they are reluctant to dictate which fire department covers what outside its district.

  However, if Gary Allen is wrong, if he failed to call Black Hawk to the fire out of pettiness, then his decision making skills need to be re-examined. But the man deserves a chance. There is no discounting the asset Allen and his fire department has made to Central City. Nor is there any way to measure how much Gary Allen has personally given to Gilpin County in time, blood, sweat and tears. He knows petty politics have no place in emergency calls or fire calls.  

  For Allen, though, his City Manager is in his court. Lynnette Hailey, the Central City Manager says that she read Allen’s report on the fire and the way it was handled. She says, “I reviewed all his reports and I think he responded appropriately. I agree with his assessment.” Hailey added that she was unaware that Black Hawk had a four wheel drive truck that they said could access the small back roads. She also said the Council wants Allen to remain in the city unless he is called out on an emergency. In addition, she said the Council has advised Allen he should relinquish the 501C3 nonprofit corporation status the fire department had been claiming in order to qualify for Department of Local Affairs grants. Calls outside Central City were a large part of the gaming related calls the Fire Department claimed during the grant process.

  One thing everyone agreed upon was service should be first and primary. Brian Lesher said, “It would be nice to get it all (No Man’s Land coverage) straightened out.” Hailey said she hoped the Commissioners would address the issue and get it resolved. But I’m thinking this problem may not be a commissioner problem. I’m wondering what would happen if all the fire chiefs were locked in a big room and not let out until something was in writing.