TRFPA History

Founded in April 1999, the Tallahassee Volunteer Fire Department has evolved from a tiny group of concerned mountain residents to a full-fledged volunteer fire department specializing in wildland and urban interface fire fighting.

Our first organizational meeting was the brain child of a small group of residents in the Autumn Creek Subdivision.  These few people got the ball rolling and we had our first meeting in April 1999.  We managed to get over 80 residents in the Ainsworth’s home and got to work.  At that point in time we had no equipment, vehicles, training…nothing!  We only had our determination and the realization that we were without fire protection in northwestern Fremont County.

Shortly after our first meeting we elected officers and a board of directors.  We also became a 501( c )4 non-profit corporation.  In the following year we began to acquire a couple of donated vehicles, communications equipment and some initial training.  We established an ongoing relationship with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Department and other local and state agencies including the Colorado State Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and area fire departments.  And we began responding to fire calls!

Since then, we have surpassed all our goals.  We have become one of the most respected all-volunteer departments in south-central Colorado.  From a beginning with literally nothing, we’ve come a long way.  We now have over 35 trained volunteer firefighters.  We have thirteen vehicles at our disposal.  Our five fire stations are strategically located throughout our fire protection area.  In 2002 alone, we’ve constructed two of the four stations, purchased two much-needed small engines, trained dozens of firefighters, designed and implemented a communications network that’s second to none, and pushed our membership to over 40 percent of the total landowner and resident population in our area!

Our short-term  goals include the addition of personnel as trained firefighters, the replacement of sub-standard vehicles, the continuing education of our current firefighters and the successful accomplishment of our basic firefighting mission during this hot, dry fire season.

Throughout our history, we’ve continued to be committed to just a few fundamental ideals.  We strive to provide a high quality firefighting force at the lowest possible cost to the landowner and resident.  From the huge Iron Mountain Fire to the smallest lightning strike, we’ve proven ourselves time and again.