Our History
In 1956, five Hartsel residents got together to form a volunteer fire department. In 1970, residents incorporated the department as the Hartsel Fire Protection District, under the special district laws of Colorado.
Today, Hartsel Fire Protection District serves approximately 900 residents and the thousands of property owners and hundreds of thousands of visitors who come to recreate in, or just pass through, our beautiful mountain valley. Our service area covers about 750 square miles in the southern portion of South Park—from the top of Wilkerson Pass to the top of Trout Creek Pass, and from the Red Hill Subdivision on Highway 9 north of town, to mile marker 32 south of town on Highway 9.
Our staff and volunteers are trained not only to put out fires, but also to respond to a variety of other emergency calls. We are EMT's and medical responders, and we sponsor a trained dive and boat-rescue team to respond to calls for assistance at Antero Reservoir, 11-Mile Reservoir, and Spinney Reservoir. We also have trained staff and volunteers to respond to hazardous waste spills.
Board of Directors
The Hartsel Fire Protection District Board of Directors meets the second Thursday of each month at the fire station one (at 86 Valley Ave. in Hartsel) starting at 6:00 P.M.. The public is encouraged to attend.
- Jeff Winter, Chairman of the Board
- William Schwartzkopf, Vice Chair
- Susan Jones, Secretary
- Linda Bjorklund, Treasurer
- James Eldridge
Staff and Volunteer Officers
- Jay Hutcheson, Fire Chief since 1988.
- Herb Burton, Volunteer Fire Marshall
- Jeff Winter, Volunteer Captain
- Andy Grey, Volunteer Safety Officer/Public Education Officer
- Chris Tingle, Volunteer Lieutenant
- Will George, Volunteer Lieutenant
- Glen Batts, Volunteer Lieutenant
- Cleta Grey, Volunteer fire fighter and Administrative Assistant