The North Metro Fire Rescue District (formerly known as West Adams County Fire Protection District) was formed on November 8, 1946 by a group of 30 volunteers from the area of Eastlake, Colorado. Throughout the last 60 years, North Metro Fire Rescue District has seen many changes to the organization, the services provided to its citizens and the fire industry in general. The following will highlight some of the most significant moments in our 60 years of proud service to the community.

During the days of West Adams County Fire, the first career firefighter was hired- Sherman Reed. Sherman was also the only person in the Fire District's history to die in the line of duty. He passed in 1965 while fighting a field fire.

In 1967, the fire department decided to hire career firefighters to staff each of the Fire District's fire stations. Much of the time, only one firefighter was on-duty per station and these firefighters would be met by available volunteer firefighters on the scene. While over the years different numbers of career firefighters were hired to increase the staffing at Fire District Stations, the department did not become 100% career until decades later in 2000. However in January of 1973, those career firefighters that did exist in the Fire District organized and established a chapter of the International Association of Fire Fighters-Local 2203.

One of the most significant events handled by the Fire District during the days of West Adams County Fire Protection District occurred in 1985. Two freight trains crashed head-on and derailed on the Burlington Northern tracks, resulting in five deaths and two injuries. The explosion from the crash also buckled and collapsed two Boulder Turnpike commuter overpasses.

Just a year later, one of the most significant changes in Fire District services appeared. The Fire District moved to providing full-time Advanced Life Support medical services in 1986. To accomplish this, a large group of employees became certified as Emergency Medical Technician-Intermediates (EMT-I). This changed and improved the level of care and types of medical procedures available to the community in the pre-hospital setting.

With a growing Fire District and an expanding service level, a bond issue was brought to the voters and successfully passed in 1989. This bond remodeled existing fire stations, built a new station (#65) by the Jefferson County Airport, and purchased new apparatus and air packs for firefighters. A few years later in 1992, a mil levy proposal was introduced to the voters to help staff the new station and other initiatives. This election was not approved by the Fire District's voters.

Without the ability to increase staffing and in an effort to provide the best services to the community, West Adams County Fire and Thornton Fire Department took a bold step and merged fire departments to form the North Metro Fire Rescue Authority on January 1, 1994. This merger provided emergency services to the north metro area for six years until its dissolution on December 31, 1999. Differing and sometimes conflicting service level demands required that the City and the District re-establish their separate fire departments to better focus on the service level priorities of each community. Today, the two departments still enjoy a good working relationship and provide continuous assistance to one another through Mutual and Automatic Aid agreements.

During the Fire Authority days, the current North Metro Headquarters building closed the adjoining fire station and utilized the building for administrative functions and as a maintenance facility. In addition, Thornton also closed a fire station. Together as the Fire Authority they built a new station located at 96 th and Huron Street to operate for this combined area-this station was known as Fire Station 67 and is currently Thornton Station 72.

Another significant event occurred during the existence of the Fire Authority. In January of 1997, an arsonist set fire to the Hacienda Hotel killing five people and leaving 100 people homeless. Twenty-eight rooms were gutted by the blaze and three businesses sustained moderate damage.

The year 2000 marked significant change for the Fire District. With the merger dissolving on January 1, 2000, the official name of the Fire District changed to North Metro Fire Rescue District to more accurately reflect the numerous counties and municipalities the Fire District protects. This name remains today. On this same day, North Metro also became a 100% career firefighting organization. Additionally, the current Headquarters also reopened the attached fire station and the largest hiring class in the Fire District's history (21 new recruits) was underway.

During February 2000, another significant emergency took place. The Maryel Manor Apartment fire in Broomfield displaced 50 senior residents. Seventy firefighters from seven fire departments fought this fire-one firefighter suffered minor injuries. None of the residents were injured but the entire building was destroyed. Several firefighters and North Metro staff members spent the days and weeks following this incident helping the displaced residents move their salvaged items from the Apartments.

In September of 2001, two events drastically changed North Metro Fire Rescue District and helped shape what it resembles today. First, the Fire District responded to a service level void in the community and established an ambulance transport capability for a portion of the Fire District (Broomfield County). This service continues today and has become highly valued by its citizens. In addition, while thousands of miles away, the tragic events of September 11 th impacted the Fire District's day to day operations and future service demands. The terrorist attacks greatly changed the fire service and have shaped training needs; emergency call types; security of stations, personnel and fire trucks; and more. The effects of 9/11 continue today and will help bring about more change.

Over the last six years, the Fire District has experienced tremendous growth throughout its previously rural areas. This expansion coupled with property devaluations caused North Metro Fire Rescue to seek a bond and mill levy increase in 2006, which was overwhelmingly supported by the community.

Today the fire fighting force consists of 73 full-time uniformed personnel operating from six fire stations to cover an area of 115 square miles with a population of approximately 90,000 people. An additional 22 personnel are assigned to the Administrative and Fire Prevention Divisions.

With the passage of the bond and mill levy the Fire District will hire additional firefighting personnel to staff its most recently built station. North Metro will continue to hire additional firefighters as two final fire stations are constructed and opened over the next two years. In addition, the bond issue will also support the final infrastructure needed for the Fire District which includes construction of a maintenance facility, an in-district Training Center and an Administrative facility with adequate space to house all the Divisions of Administration, which are currently assigned to three separate facilities located throughout the Fire District.

Services provided by the department include fire protection, hazardous materials response, specialized rescue services, wildland fire suppression, fire prevention and investigation, life safety education and preparedness training, emergency medical response and ambulance transport.

The Department is directed by a five member Board of Directors and has been administered by Fire Chief John J. O'Hayre since 1986. Its full-time force provides a dedicated and efficient firefighting group for our citizens. The Fire District is continually upgrading firefighting training and delivery of our emergency services to the citizens of the City and County of Broomfield, the City of Northglenn, and unincorporated portions of Jefferson, Boulder, Weld and Adams Counties.