STATION 2 - IDAHO SPRINGS, CO
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HISTORY The Idaho Springs Fire Department was organized in
January 1878 by the Idaho Springs City Council to "suppress
conflagrations within the Fire Limits of the Town." The original
equipment included a hand pulled hose cart equipped with 350 feet of
hose and nozzles, housed in a special building. In December 1885 a special city council meeting was
called by the Chief of the Fire Department to authorize purchase of
additional hose and couplings. The following January the Council
authorized the hiring of a night watchman to patrol the city on windy
nights when the Chief felt it was necessary to look for fires and keep
the city safe. |
In the same month the following note appears in the
city Council minutes: "Gentlemen, your committee to whom was referred
the matter of the efficiency of the apparatus of the Fire Department by
leave to report as follows: To place the department on a footing to
enable it to successfully combat a conflagration of any magnitude there
should be purchased immediately the following supplies: 400 feet of
hose, 2 nozzles, 12 couplings, and 6 spanners. Also, the purchase of
another light hose cart capable of carrying 350 feet of hose to be kept
in the present hose room with the other heavier cart to be removed to
the immediate business center of town, say to the rear of the bank."
In February 1886 the equipment was ordered and in
March everything was delivered with the exception of the hose cart. The
Council authorized the construction of a hose house at the rear of the
bank, which was completed in May of that year. The new hose cart arrived
in June.
In April 1887 a hose cart was located by the old
cemetery and sampling works at the west end of town and a petition to
form a new hose company was sent to committee. The new company was
formed and became the Idaho Springs Hose Company No. 2. After a list of
the officers and men was submitted to Council they became a part of the
Idaho Springs Fire Department.
In 1989, the Idaho Springs Volunteer Fire Department
signed an intergovernmental agreement with the Clear Creek Emergency
Services General Improvement District (ESD), which was formed in 1988 by
the voters in the unincorporated areas of Clear Creek County. As a
participant with the ESD, Idaho Springs contributed to the consolidated
fire protection effort in Clear Creek County through intergovernmental
agreements with Georgetown, Silver Plume, and Empire.
In 1998 Idaho Springs became part of the Clear Creek
Fire Authority, which is presently the governmental entity responsible
for providing fire protection in Clear Creek County.
APPARATUS
2006 SMEAL 75 Foot Ladder.
SCAT 2 is the primary wildland apparatus for the East end of the district.
Rescue 2 is a 2003 F350 used for highway calls, medical calls,
backcountry calls and support.
Rescue 21 is a 1995 international walk in used for rope rescue,
swift water rescue, ice rescue, highway calls and carries a back-up
set of extraction equipment.
Rescue 21 is also used as a special operations truck.
Tanker 2 is a 2000 international with a 750 gpm pump 1,800 gallon
tanker.
Tanker 21 is a 1980 freight liner with a 500 gpm pump and a 2,500
tank, and provides supplemental water to the entire district.
In the spring in 2008, Station 2 of Idaho Springs began using a
2006 SMEAL 75 Foot Ladder.
This truck replaced two pieces of apparatus that were located
to other stations in the district. The SMEAL Ladder is on a Sirius
chassis with a Cummins engine and a 1,500 gpm pump with a 500 gallon
tank.
This Ariel device is a 75 foot quint with a pinnable waterway,
creeper controls and blue rung
illumination lights.
Other
features include an easy load hose bed. This truck is the primary
response vehicle for all incidents and calls on the East end of the
district.
All apparatus at Station 2 (Idaho Springs Fire
Department) is compliant with all ISO recommended equipment.