Posted on: March 16th, 2026

GHFPD Board Meeting, Monday, February 16, 2026

         Minutes by Gretchen Diefenderfer

Next Meeting – Monday, March 16, 2026, 7:30 p.m. at the Firebarn and by Zoom

MEETING BUSINESS –

The meeting was called to order at 7:31 by President Kent Coghill.  Present in person were board members: Kent, Chris Dirolf, Boyd Brown, Max Yeager, plus Greg Buis, Kris Gibson, Chief Rich Caudill, Cheya Bar-Evan, Leslie Finn, Gretchen Diefenderfer.  Attending by Zoom were Steffi Wilson, Marcus Moench, and Val Crist.

Minutes – November and January minutes were approved unanimously.

FIRE CHIEF’S MINUTES

Operational Updates – Rich reports there has been more happening with Lumen concerning power outages and emergency communications.  Rep. Joe Neguse has written a letter to the FCC with our Boulder County issues.  There is another meeting scheduled and they have been instructed to come with solutions.

NewTruck – Progress is slightly behind because the tank had to be custom fabricated for our configuration – at their expense.  Maybe 2 weeks later – mid-March?

Training – is going well.  They’ve had a couple of trainings with Gold Hill only.  Last week did a deep dive into maintenance – putting together a maintenance program and post trip check list.  Some issues were found and everyone did a great job.  Thanks to Dave Wilson for putting together the check list.  Leslie is finalizing it and it will be put out to everyone.

Pagers – are all being reprogrammed to comply with Boulder County toning channel.  March 9 is the proposed switch over date.  Shout out to Chris Finn, Val, and Dave Sturtz for their help.  Wednesday Bill will program the BKs and is paid by BCFFA.  Others would be $55 each, so our team has saved us quite a bit of money.  Rich got the equipment to program the VHS side.

Equipment – Cheya proposed we acquire i-gels (supraglottic airway) and capnography for the medical responders – not explicit that we need that, but…  Kent added that they use i-gels frequently at his work, particularly for cardiac arrest.  Leslie hasn’t seen that they’re used at all frequently in BoCo although they’re brought up at trainings.  Particularly the capnography, which checks lung sounds (also expensive). They will check with Dr. Sovndal to see what he recommends.  Her understanding is that they’re a Paramedic skill.  We have 3 EMTs – Kent, Leslie, and Cheya.  Rich added that he supports the idea philosophically, but there’s lots of red tape to move through first including training for support personnel and how to interface with neighboring departments moving forward.  He will check with the doctor.

         Do we have the authorization to pronounce?  Have to call for doctor approval.  There are protocols: decapitation, rigor mortis, etc.  Otherwise we wait for Paramedics

         We might consider Epinephrine as well – considerations are upkeep, expiration, expense.  Narcan?  Should consider precautions for restraint – sometimes patients are combative coming out of overdose.  Sheriffs have Narcan and ability to restrain.

Operational Item – Rich reported that AMR took an hour and a half to respond on a recent call – they’ve lost 93% of their regular staff and we’ve dealt for years with Google instructing people to use Lickskillet even when it’s not passable for an ambulance.  They got lost, basically.  The supervisor was shocked and will update everyone. Falck now has the City of Boulder and AMR has the County.   BCFFA has addressed issues with AMR.  Rich recommends getting an ETA and if it’s over 45 minutes, recheck and check for mutual aid.  Could maybe get mutual aid with Falck.  Bret said Falck will have one ambulance at 4^th and Canyon we could maybe call.  Rich will check with the City.

Infrastructure – Max proposed we buy our own propane tank and then we can have any supplier fill it.  He’ll get quotes and check who supplies our neighboring departments.  Maybe budget for next year.

Rich has one bid for the apron project.  Max reports Gebau has sent a drawing.  The engineer wonders what weight rating we need.  They’re looking to coordinate the concrete and structural stuff.  The concrete needs 30 days to completely cure, so trucks would be outside.  Gebau says the brick foundation and footings, etc. are viable.  We need functional drawings to talk to the County.  Max added that the soils guy – re the cistern – thinks it’d be best to pull the lid, fill it with gravel and pour into it.

Strategic Planning – Possibility of another County grant for next year?  What more can we do and want to do with this space to make if more functional.  It has good bones and we have the generator, the planned apron work and new doors, so lot of plusses already. Max added that even if we get a new station in the future, this one won’t be abandoned.

Budget – Rich pointed out that the grants through Emergency 1B will step down next year, so our grants will be 20% less.  Our focus will be more on improving service vs infrastructure.  We’ve been fiscally responsible in the past – for our truck we got grant money for 40% of the $260,000 + price (~$110,000).

 Capital Replacement Plan – The plan is to replace 04 with the new 31.  Lefthand has space in the Glendale station for 04.  We don’t know how long we’ll need it, but at least for the winter.  Max added that we could just drain 04 and, once the new truck is here and we have confidence in it, we could just let 04 go.

         Leslie asked about the site visit.  Rich would like 3 people to go for the in-service.  Jess emailed her thoughts concerning driving the truck back vs shipping it. She thinks we should consider the liability issues of people driving it cross country – ship it and have people train on it here.  Max could go either way – thinks send the most experienced back –– it would get broken in if driven back.  Chris thinks shipping is best – that’s a long uncomfortable drive.  Boyd pointed out that part of our contract included transportation and housing for 2 people, so we would want to send them.  Kent thinks keep both options open and look into who could ship.

Vehicles – UTV – Rich can get a good sale on the parts we need for the upgrade.  Hasn’t heard from BoCo on the grant money for that.  Will reach out to Jess this week.  Total new would be around $8,000, with the sale ~$6500.

Command Vehicle – look at budgeting for 2027

GENERAL– Marcus reports the foam guy, Dennis from Intelegard, came up Saturday and gave an awesome demonstration.  He’s offering us 4 backpacks (we would have to buy the pressure bottles) to keep, and a skid for a year to use.  The caveat is he’d use us for advertising.  Michael Shepard and Marcus will look into home based systems, which could hook up to a cistern and help neighbors, too.  He’d give us good prices, wants it to be effective for us and for us to use it.  Leslie wants to keep the backpacks for the department separate from the issue of personal systems.  We do not want to encourage people to foam their houses and then stay in fire danger.  The skid is a big powerful thing – shoots foam ~ 100 ft.  We would need to train and have SOPs for the backpacks and skid.  Kris added we can use foam with the ATV and the backpacks would be for smaller uses – not in big wildland fires – but campfires, or one early house fire.  Steffi added that Dave Steinmann, who had a home foam system for the Fourmile Fire, was at the demonstration and felt it was really mitigation work that saved his home. Val said the backpacks are heavy enough that she couldn’t carry one, but they’re a good concept.  Where would we store them?

New Shed – Kent replied that we’ve been considering a new shed and get rid of the Conex – foam stuff could be stored there.  His vision for anyone interested in a home foam unit would be that they would “Foam and Go!”  Rich added that Dennis would work with us – give us a list of anyone interested in the homeowner foam system.  Rich wants to reserve the decision on the backpacks and skid – he has requested more information from Dennis.  Chris said that foam has been noxious in the past, but Boyd says it’s all organic now– animal products – basically becomes fertilizer.  Chris recommends mitigating as much as possible.  IBHS, insurance research company, stresses home hardening and mitigation.  It does get tricky when one home is too close to another and if the backpacks are free….  Kent added it is NOT OK to foam and then stay in the house in a wildfire.  Chris thinks we need to do more research.  He’s skeptical about the effectiveness – how long does it last after applying, etc.

Community Events/Fundraising – The plan is to get educational information out to everyone – through events, and emails – re mitigation/home hardening.  Also get everyone signed up for Everbridge (reverse 9-1-1), get to-go bags together, checklists in case of evacuations.

Kent and Marcus report that there are plans for 1 or 2 days of cutting and low-limbing on several properties: the road west, near Hugh’s, Pine St and Lickskillet.  Cutters need to be a member of the department and certified.  Boyd asked if we want to set up a certification class?  BCFFA offers a S212 and S112 classes.  We need to talk to our lawyer re liability and workman’s comp.  Boyd reported there is a meeting tomorrow with organizations: Boulder Conservation, WFP, BWSC to build a schedule and use resources and the remaining money in the grant as well as we can.  We will have Teens, Inc. – what all can they do? – maybe drag stuff to the road for chipping.  Kris and Boyd walked the area off Lickskillet.  We have the BLM  lease until 2020.  There are tons of trees 3 – 10’ tall.  They want to keep up with maintenance mitigation and regrowth.  Austin and Eli are interested in donating time.  Kent said it’s a great project. If it’s department sponsored, cutters have to have S212 for liability.  Marcus added they’re trying to figure out the best use of people, skilled and unskilled.  Looking for ways to utilize individuals under the auspices of the FD, including people skilled with chainsaws and chippers, others to haul and WFP to chip.

         Chris added BWAC organization does still have some $ left over.  He thinks there may be enough money left to pay for labor for the Lickskillet triangle.  Kent and Chris can probably help.  Will chat with Eric re Fourmile crew, etc.

         Boyd ad Kris went to the Ashram and talked with the caretaker.  They had been thinking about a spot for a wood yard, but lots of problems.  Moving to processing on site.  Ashram manager is all for it.  They’re doing a survey to find out who needs wood, etc.

        Parking and Tourism – They’ve been talking of the board petitioning the County Commissioners re signage and parking issues – maybe before summer – and how the problems are affecting other areas in town – possibly encourage people to park above Horsfal to alleviate problems on Main St and elsewhere.  We need to get our plan, get agenda for CCs, invite everyone to id pinch points.  Leslie believes signs are required if we want the Sheriff to respond if they’re called – will have to ask to make sure.  The 4^th of July signage we put up is an educational situation.  Believes most people want to do it right and not cause difficulties.  Also, the Inn has a map up on their website that shows people where to park.  Kent and Rich will walk town and make a map – id where we want signs, etc..

Collaboration – CWPP – Chris reports Fourmile is doing intensive crew training.  Call boxes (solar) will be installed.  Home hardening – maybe landscaping help, maybe rebates to people – have to sign up with WFP for help covering costs.  Standard stuff: cover vents, remove combustible stuff around house. There is some $ for 50 homes over the whole area – Fourmile, Sunshine, Gold Hill, and Sugarloaf – for home hardening.  Contact Chris with any ideas/mitigation dreams.  They are trying to piece the puzzle together – link areas. They’re looking at hiring an intern for GIS/Fire department cisterns, locations for water supply.

NEW BUSINESS – Boyd reported that a Rowena resident reported on the hydrant at 8401 – the lid has been pried up.  He and Max will check.

Adjourn – Chris moved to adjourn, Kent seconded and the meeting was called.

REspectrfully submitted, Gretchen Diefenderfer, Secretary.