Hotchkiss Fire District

08/28/2026

Our friendly neighborhood Firefighting Helicopter:

08/26/2026

WWDD?
Nine years ago, Smokey Bear teamed up with Dolly Parton in a fire-prevention campaign for the Great Smoky Mountains.

Parton, heartbroken over the wildfires affecting her hometown, joined Smokey in a public service announcement urging people not to burn leaves, avoid parking on dry grass, and be cautious with campfires.

Rest in peace, Dolly. And remember — What would Dolly do? Follow her advice by staying vigilant and following all fire restrictions.

Nine years ago, Smokey Bear teamed up with Dolly Parton in a fire-prevention campaign for the Great Smoky Mountains.

Parton, heartbroken over the wildfires affecting her hometown, joined Smokey in a public service announcement urging people not to burn leaves, avoid parking on dry grass, and be cautious with campfires.

Rest in peace, Dolly. And remember — What would Dolly do? Follow her advice by staying vigilant and following all fire restrictions.

Photo credit: Smokey Bear

08/25/2026

Costs are rising. You've seen it at the grocery store and at the gas pump. We see it in the cost of gear for the firefighters who protect our community. Outfitting one Hotchkiss firefighter with essential structural firefighting equipment now costs almost $15,000. For our 35 volunteer firefighters, that's an investment of more than half a million dollars in personal equipment alone. The helmet, coat, and pants need to be replaced every 10 years, while the SCBA has a 15 year lifespan. These on-going expense items increase in price continuously, so replacements are always ever more costly.

It's one of the many behind-the-scenes investments that ensures our firefighters are ready to respond when our community needs them.

08/24/2026

We’d like to thank our partners for their commitment to our community. It’s an honor to work alongside you!

08/21/2026

Well said Colorado Springs Fire Department! We couldn't do our job without dispatchers!

08/20/2026

The price of the equipment needed to outfit our firefighters seem to keep going up each time we buy it, like most things do these days. Here's where we're at buying wildland firefighting PPE for each firefighter. With a roster of over 30 volunteers, it adds up! For most PPE, the recommended lifespan is about 10 years. For some items, like fire packs and helmets, we can stretch that timeline out, but for many items, such as boots, pants, and gloves, they're worn out well before that. Radios need to be replaced as they get broken, misplaced, or become obsolete as technologies advance. Life safety gear like fire shelters or rescue ropes are too critical to risk pushing them past their expiration dates because, when we need them, we need them to work as designed.