GOLDEN GATE CANYON — The Golden Gate Canyon Fire Protection District Board approved an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) for ambulance services during a regular meeting on April 23, 2026, and online.

Board members present for the meeting were Deb Curlee, president; Marith Reheis, vice president; and Mike Sever, treasurer. Secretary Karla Grahn and Dave Primmer were excused.

New ambulance provider

Fire Chief Kyle Benson introduced a Resolution for Ambulance Services and said a regional hospital system, Intermountain Health, is located in Denver metro, and they approached him. He is very excited. He recommended that the board adopt the contract as it is written.

According to the resolution, the District does not provide its own 911 fire-based ambulance services and therefore requires a third party to provide such services.

The District has, since 2020, participated in an IGA for regional ambulance services that was due for an update in order to ensure it remained competitively bid.

The current agreement for ambulance services with the District’s incumbent service provider, Stadium Medical, expires on August 31, 2026. The newly selected service provider, Intermountain Health / Platte Valley Ambulance, will need sufficient time to procure personnel, ambulances and related capital equipment, to initiate ambulance services by September 1, 2026.

The District and participating fire agencies within this Agreement will appreciate increased ambulance coverage during overnight hours as set forth in the Agreement. The District will explore further efficiencies with the new hospital-based ambulance service provider, including consolidating medical control and increased offerings of continuing education for its fire-based EMTs and Paramedics.

Reheis voted to approve the resolution and said she had read through it. Curlee said that Stadium has been “okay.” The Board approved signing the agreement.

Ongoing issues

Reheis discussed revising the bylaws. She has asked the Board to make suggestions for the bylaws and send them to her. She is hoping to get information by the end of the month.

Chief Benson reported that Jefferson County remains under Stage 1 fire restrictions. “We need to make sure we are cognizant with no open burning,” he said. “It is a record year. It will be a more active summer season, and fire danger remains very high.”

Captain Gockel, Fleet Manager Gustafson, and Benson met with the City of Golden Fleet Management team to discuss protocols for GGFPD receiving service through their shops. The District’s first vehicle, Brush 81, is currently in their shop for preventive maintenance and wildland pump replacement.

May 9 will be the first wildfire mitigation education day at Station 81. Additional information will be posted on the District website and social media channels.

The first slash event of the year is also coming soon, on June 6 at the Grange. This will be the first of three localized slash events this year hosted by the mitigation crew.

New chipper on the way

District is currently in the procurement process for a Vermeer BC1000 chipper. The unit is undergoing testing and software updates at the Vermeer dealer. The District sends a special thank-you to Maxx Forestry and Vermeer Colorado for working together to secure this unit within their budget.

Delivery is expected by the end of April. The chipper will be configured to be towed by Utility 81, which will temporarily serve as the Mitigation Division vehicle until the District is in a position to procure a pickup truck for the crew.

Upcoming events

DeeDee Ramstetter reported that the Auxiliary will meet on April 27 at 5:30 p.m. at the Grange to kick off pig roast discussions for next year,

For the Grange: on May 8 the Peak to Peak Chorale will perform. On May19, they will be collecting water and May 17 will be roadside cleanup,

Benson said they want people to update their address signs. With multiple homes on one road, residents should place a sign at the bottom of the shared driveway and one at the house itself.

The next regular Board meeting will be May 28, 2026, 7 p.m., at the Grange, 25201 Golden Gate Canyon Road, Golden.