NEDERLAND — The Nederland Fire Protection District (NFPD) Board of Directors met on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, to review all operations, repairs, and maintenance of district infrastructure; personnel training; building inspections in the Nederland area; and calls of significance.

Calls of significance 

There have been 415 total calls of significance this year. NFPD Chief Charlie Schmidtmann detailed to the Board some of those that occurred since late November, including two calls to Eldora Mountain Ski Resort involving individuals injured in separate falls, one of whom unfortunately did not survive. 

It was reported that the District will be better notified of emergency calls to Eldora, including whenever American Medical Response (AMR) is being requested.  

Firefighters and medical personnel responded to a vehicle rollover accident on Highway 119, as well as to a report of a car driving off the highway and into Barker Reservoir on December 8. The driver of the car was transported to the hospital and found to have sustained only minor injuries.

In a collaborative mission with several other local agencies, including divers from Boulder Emergency Services, the car was successfully removed from the reservoir on December 14. 

NFPD personnel also responded to several calls to the Peak to Peak Highway, including a patient suffering from abdominal pain, and a patient experiencing hallucinations. 

Schmidtmann also reported to the Board about the quick response from Captain Nick Faes, Lieutenant Mandi Papich, Firefighters Ryder Jones and Max Schmidtmann, and Probationary Firefighters Grace Gude and Dennis Olsen that saved the life of a man suffering from neck swelling as he was recovering from surgery.

“Captain Faes assessed the patient and found that the area around the incision was not only swollen but extremely hard and recommended that they go to the hospital with AMR because it could be a much more serious issue than just normal inflammation/irritation,” Schmidtmann reported.

“Turns out, it was an expanding hematoma from the venous side post-surgery.  After arriving at BCH the pressure from the leak constricted his airway and he had to be intubated and ended up in surgery.  Patient was kept intubated for 24 hours following surgery to ensure it didn’t happen again.”

Chief’s report

Schmidtmann’s monthly report detailed the multiple repairs and maintenance issues that have been completed at the fire station and on the District’s vehicles.

The station’s sprinkler system has been repaired as several sprinkler heads were leaking throughout the building due to the system’s water tank being too small.

The station’s overhead paging system was also not functioning properly. Though firefighters were unsure of the cause of the problem, it was repaired by Captain Faes, Fire Marshal Andrew Joslin, and Fire Mechanic Daniel Murphy.

Captain Faes and Captain Glen Wheelock also installed holiday lighting around the firehouse and brought some seasonal cheer to fellow firefighters.

The heaters at the NFPD’s auxiliary station abruptly stopped working after a power surge had burnt out the unit’s transformers. These were fixed by Save Home Heat, the company who originally installed the heaters 15 years ago.

The propane tank and propane line at the auxiliary station were also installed with the help of Polar Gas and Schmidtmann’s skidsteer. 

And, just in time for Nederland to see some more impactful snowfall, the District’s plows had been repaired, including one which required a rusted section to be removed and replaced. 

Upcoming training

Since the Board’s last meeting on November 12, Captain Wheelock has been developing schedules for upcoming training to build on the 406 hours of training that the District has provided and that NFPD personnel have participated in so far in 2025. Additionally, Wheelock has been working to get personnel recertified on their Fire Certifications that are required to be renewed by January 1, 2026.

The NFPD’s 2026 EMT Course is ready to roll out and is currently accepting applications. The 12-week course begins on February 2, and will meet at 650 West 4th Street on Mondays and Wednesdays, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., and all day Sundays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Applications will be accepted until January 5. For more information go to: https://www.nfpd.org/emt-b-emergency-medical-technician-basic. 

Fire marshal’s report

Fire Marshal Joslin’s monthly report provided updates regarding permitting and inspections conducted within the District, as well as on compliance issues with public facilities in Nederland.

Joslin conducted inspections of Eldora Mountain Resort’s “public-facing” facilities and of the TEENS, Inc. building at 151 East Street, which passed with no issues.

Meanwhile, compliance issues were found at the U.S. Post Office at 350 East Street, and “outstanding” issues at the Nederland Community Center have resulted in a call for immediate action. 

The Post Office fire alarm systems were found to be deficient, and the fire sprinkler disabled; Joslin has addressed the issue with the local Postmaster and is assisting with getting the necessary repairs approved by the U.S. Postal Service, as it is an issue of employee safety. 

Joslin has also been working with the Town of Nederland on drafting a timeline to tackle compliance issues with the Nederland Community Center’s West Wing. A letter from the Marshal to former Town Administrator Miranda Fisher sent in May of 2024 detailed some of the history involved in this matter. 

“I want to reinform you of multiple violations of fire and life safety code at 750 Peak to Peak Highway, the site of the West Wing of the Nederland Community Center.

“The West Wing (remodeled in the 1950’s) was acquired from BVSD once a new elementary school was constructed in 1997. Typically, when there is a change of use, the building must be brought up to the current code – this did not occur.

“However, once the roof collapsed in 2003, the Community Center was remodeled in 2007 – yet, the West Wing was left as-is because the Town intended to tear it down and not use it.” This intention was also used to excuse the Town’s refusal to connect the West Wing to the center’s fire and sprinkler systems.

“Unfortunately, the tenants remain some 18 years later despite several life safety concerns. Should a fire occur, they would have no means of knowing they should evacuate. And should they need to evacuate, the northern exits do not egress, and instead the doors have been blocked by walls constructed to create a greenhouse.

“I urge the Town to relocate the tenants of the West Wing as soon as logistically possible and vacate the building as it remains a major life safety concern for the public; Nederland Fire cannot in good conscience allow the Nederland Community Center West Wing pass the fire inspection when up for renewal in 2025 as the building exists in this current state.”

The Town is currently assessing their budgetary constraints for 2026 regarding setting matching funds towards pursuing an Energy and Impact Assistance Fund grant from the Department of Local Affairs to fund the renovation of the West Wing.

“If a funding round opens, staff may return to the Board with a recommendation to pursue an application,” Town Manager Jonathan Cain wrote to the Board of Trustees in their December 16 meeting’s agenda. 

The Nederland Fire Protection District Board of Directors meets on the third Wednesday of every month. Meetings can be attended online via Microsoft Teams. Their first meeting of the new year will be on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at 7 p.m. 

For more information go to: https://www.nfpd.org.