Durango Fire & Rescue (DFR) is dedicated to providing quality, timely, and professional emergency services to those who live in, work in, and visit the City of Durango and La Plata County. While DFR is an “All Hazards” department, our primary service is fire suppression and medical response.

DFR line personnel are a minimum of Colorado Firefighter 1 and EMT-Basic certified to provide Basic Life Support for any medical emergency. A significant portion of our responding line personnel are EMT-Intermediates and Paramedics, providing our district with excellent Advanced Life Support coverage and some of the most progressive medical care of any ambulance service in the State of Colorado.

Durango Fire & Rescue has sixteen fire stations strategically placed within our district boundaries to maximize coverage during an emergency. DFR is the first due emergency response in our 325 square mile district for the following types of calls:

• Structure Fires
• Wildland Fires
• Gas Leaks/Odors
• Motor Vehicle Crashes
• Fire Alarm Activations
• Emergency Medical
• Hazardous Materials
• Swiftwater Rescue
• High Angle Rope Rescue
• Low Angle Rope Rescue
• And many more…

The Operations Section is overseen by the Deputy Chief of Operations and 6 Battalion Chiefs. Durango Fire & Rescue has one battalion chief and four captains on each shift to ensure the proper supervision and activation of emergency crews. DFR also relies heavily on volunteer forces to increase the availability and response throughout the district under the supervision of a battalion chief.

Ambulance Services

The Emergency Medical Services Division (EMS) is part of a continuum of care standing by to serve our community 24 hours a day assuring every patient the emergency medical attention they need, when they need it.

The EMS Division serves a 325-square mile primary response area responding out of 4 stations staffed with Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and Paramedics.  We provide out-of-hospital assessment and medical care, as well as emergency and non-emergency medical transport to approximately 4,500 patients annually.

We operate 10 fully licensed Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances.  Five ambulances are staffed and ready to respond to emergencies 24/7, four more are available as backup units, and one is a dedicated interfacility transport unit. Durango Fire & Rescue also provides ambulance services to the Fort Lewis Mesa Fire Protection District along with the National Forest, BLM and BIA lands that surround the district. We have mutual aid agreements with all surrounding Fire and EMS agencies.

Our certified Paramedics, along with Basic and Intermediate level EMTs are proud to practice some of the most advanced pre-hospital medicine allowed. Our goal is to deliver rapid, high quality, compassionate care to our patients and to be strong advocates of a safe and healthy community. More than 80% of the calls answered by DFPD involve EMS.

 Wildfire Response

The Wildfire Division of Durango Fire & Rescue (DFR) provides daily wildland fire protection across the district. All DFR response personnel are trained and certified at or above National Wildland Coordination Group (NWCG) requirements.

The fire district has a significant amount of Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) which refers to any area where structures and other human development meets or intermingles with vegetation and/or forested areas.

To help address the WUI areas, DFR staffs a seasonal wildland fire crew and a Wildland Fire Single Resource program. DFR also partners with other local fire departments, state and federal agencies to train together and respond to wildland fires in the area. Local fire agencies have agreements to assist with wildfire suppression within La Plata County and beyond.

Seasonal Wildfire Crew

DFR hosts a dedicated seasonal wildfire crew from April through October. This crew is responsible for responding to and managing wildfires occurring in the district. The crew is configured into several teams, allowing DFR to respond to local wildfires and out-of-area wildfires when requested. These out-of-area assignments provide our members additional training opportunities and do not incur any costs to DFR nor compromise DFR’s response capability for the community. This is a common practice across the U.S. as it allows firefighting resources to be shared and respond where needed.  When not on fire assignments, the wildfire crew assists with controlled burning, fuels removal, fire mitigation, and homeowner wildfire risk assessments.

Wildfire Single Resource Program

DFR employs several Wildfire Single Resource Specialists. These personnel are members of local and national incident management teams (IMTs) and assist with operational planning, fire behavior analysis, logistical support, and other needs. Locally, these personnel assist with wildfire training and provide oversight and support for the fire and fuels mitigation programs within La Plata County.