The SLFPD tries to be an active member of the community.

Emergency Notification

During an emergency, there are several ways to obtain information about the unfolding situation.  While the emergency services organizations of Boulder County will do their best to keep you informed about an emergency, it is ultimately your responsibility to take care of yourself. 

Boulder County uses a single 911 dispatch center to dispatch emergency services.  During an emergency, the dispatch center may issue an Emergency Warning Evacuation (EWE) notification (commonly referred to as "reverse 911," though that copywrited system is different than the one Boulder County uses).  The EWE system works for hard-wire phones, but does not call cellular or VOI (voice over internet) phones.  It is unable to get through phones with solicitor blocking enabled.   If you miss a call, do not call 911. They will be frantically busy and will not be able to take your call.  The best alternative is to check with a neighbor about what the announcement said.

The dispatch center has a policy of notifying the local media any time there an EWE notification is sent out.  Television is particularly good, because they frequently put a streaming text message across the bottom of the screen, which can be seen continuously.

To get information closer to the source, you can tune into the Boulder County Red—1 (fire) dispatch frequency.  You can listen live over the internet, or you can get a scanner and tune to 154.325 mhz (Red-1) or 154.250 mhz (SLFPD).  A more extensive list of Boulder County radio frequencies can be found at Boulder Community Network.  Be aware that during a large scale emergency, radio traffic is typically chaotic and sometimes inaccurate.

If time allows, sheriff's Deputies or fire fighters will be sent to evacuate neighborhoods, but your best defense is to rely on the information you have available to you and your intuition.  If a situation looks bad, leave the area.

Real-time weather information is available from the University of Utah Mountain Meteorology Group Mountain Meteorology Group web site.
Click Here for a map of weather stations within a 6 mile radius,
Here for weather at Station 1, and
Here for weather at Station 2.

Wildfire Preparedness

Residents of the district are encouraged to create survivable space around their homes by reducing vegetation and other material that could become fuel for a wildfire.  Survivable space is different than defensible space because the goal of survivable space is to create an area around each home that will allow them to survive a wildfire without fire fighting resources defending each structure.   Additional information about wildfire prevention is available from the FireWise web site.  Information about what to do before, during and after an emergency is available from the Boulder Community Network.

Garage Sale

The District hosts a community garage sale each year in May or June to raise additional funds for the District.  Residents donate items for the District to sell, and both resident and fire fighter volunteers manage the sale.  In 2006, this community event raised more than $25,000 for the District, allowing it to purchase equipment and pursue grants it would not have otherwise been able to.

Even more important than the money, the garage sale provides a place for people to meet and catch up on the activities of the community and the District.

Donations for the garage sale are accepted at any time, but are preferred in April and May.  To inquire about the garage sale or to arrange for the drop off or pickup of an item, please call the District Office at Station 2, or send an e-mail to the General Information address.

 

Newsletters

The Sugar Loaf Newsletter, which is mailed to residents six times a year, contains a chief's column and call report.  Newsletters are compiled and distributed by Sugar Loaf Community Inc.

 

Mitigation Opportunities

The SLFPD is located in the foothills of the Colorado Front Range, covered in stands of ponderosa pine, spruce and fir. The close proximity of homes and forest is known in the fire service as the Wildland-Urban Interface, or WUI. Due to the high loss of property in Interface areas over the past few years, the Federal and State government, insurance companies and homeowners are actively trying to create "survivable spaces," where property inside the perimeter is likely to survive a wildfire. The SLFPD is working with residents, State and Federal Forest Services to help mitigate the high risk of wildfire.

Chipping and Mitigation

In cooperation with the Colorado State Forest Service, grant money was obtained in 2005 and 2006 for slash chipping.  Homeowners had to deliver slash to
Station 1.  People leaving slash recorded their names and volume of slash so that the District could be reimbursed for chipping expenses. Donaters were expected to return approximately two weeks later to pick up their share of chips.

The chipping grants for 2007 have not yet been determined. For questions regarding the chipping or mitigation grants, please contact our mitigation coordinator.