From Road Conditions to Emergency Services, Heeney Residents Raise a Host of Concerns in Hopes of Finding Solutions

Since Summit Fire & EMS began contracting with the Lower Blue Fire Protection District for emergency services about 12 to 15 years ago, SF&EMS Chief Travis Davis said, call volumes have increased from about 15 calls a year to between 50 and 80 calls in the past five years. That is in addition to increased call volume within the Summit Fire & EMS Fire Protection District, he said. On average over the past five years, the average response time to Heeney has been 27 minutes, according to Davis, who added that some responses have been as fast as five minutes or as slow as 50 minutes. A new fire station slated for Silverthorne may help, he said, but is unlikely to “create a world of difference.” For Summit Fire & EMS to absorb the Lower Blue Fire Protection District it could cost taxpayers $30 per $100,000 in assessed property value a year, Davis said, compared to the $20,000 a year that Heeney residents pay for their current contract. Read more ...