Hudson Fire Protection District (HFPD) is facing critical disruption to emergency medical services, potentially putting lives at risk. To protect response times and high-quality emergency medical services districtwide, the Fire District is placing a mill levy increase on the November 4, 2025 ballot.

HFPD previously relied on third-party ambulances and paramedics to provide 24/7 coverage to the Fire District. However, that contract ended on August 7, 2025. The Fire District does not currently employ paramedics and does not operate its own EMS or ambulance service. Ambulance transport had once been provided by Platte Valley Ambulance Service, but that provider terminated its contract with HFPD. Now, ambulances are no longer stationed within the Fire District's boundaries, and emergency medical transport relies entirely on automatic/mutual aid agreements with neighboring fire districts, and only when units are available. Without addressing these challenges, this will be the Fire District’s only access to EMS and ambulance services. Additionally, because the Fire District currently has no paramedics on staff, it would remain at the mercy of private providers, who can terminate contracts or reduce services based on their own business decisions, and not the emergency needs of our community.

Without addressing the need for Fire District-run ambulance service, average ambulance response times are expected to increase from 6-8 minutes today to 12-16 minutes or longer, with some calls potentially taking 30-45 minutes. In medical emergencies, every second counts, and minutes can save lives.

To maintain ambulance services and provide reliable medical care, the HFPD Board has determined that the best path forward would be to establish a Fire District-run ambulance service, staffed by paramedics and EMT crews directly employed by the Fire District. This would provide 24/7 coverage and be based within the District, improving response times and enabling long-term service across the Fire District. The cost to implement ambulance service is detailed below.

To finance the proposed Fire District-run ambulance service, HFPD is asking voters to approve a mill levy increase of 3.0 additional mills.

The proposed additional 3.0 mills would provide funding to establish a Fire District-run ambulance service and improve local emergency medical response, with a goal of reducing emergency response times from 6-8 minutes to 3-5 minutes. The proceeds would be used to:

• Purchase three ambulances, each costing approximately $350,000, not including the equipment required to operate them

• Outfit each ambulance with specialized equipment required by state and county regulations, including advanced life support and basic first aid gear, estimated at $150,000–$200,000 per unit

• Hire 12 full-time paramedics or 6 paramedics and 6 firefighter/EMTs to staff the ambulances and ensure 24/7 coverage

• Meet all necessary licensing, certification, and compliance requirements for ambulance operations at the state and county level

Creating and funding a District-run ambulance would allow the Fire District to bring EMS services under local control, improve response times, and reduce reliance on private providers whose services may be subject to needs other than those of local citizens.

The Fire District would house paramedic-staffed ambulances at both the Lochbuie and Hudson fire stations. A third ambulance would be kept in reserve as a backup or to assist during peak demand. By stationing ambulances at these existing stations, the Fire District would be able to provide continuous EMS coverage without relying on third-party providers to deploy ambulances. This setup would help ensure faster, more reliable response times throughout the community.

The Fire District aims to have two ambulances operational by January 2026 if voters approve a mill levy increase on the November 2025 ballot.

FT. Lupton, SE Weld and Brighton fire departments can provide ambulance response under mutual aid agreements, but their response will be based on the availability of units assigned in their areas.

The Fire District has carefully developed a budget for launching and operating a District-run ambulance service. The initial cost to establish the services is estimated to be around $3 million, which includes purchasing and equipping ambulances. The ongoing annual cost to operate and staff the service would be approximately $1-1.5 million a year depending on number and type of employees hired.

The Fire District last increased its operating mill levy more than seven years ago.

Based on the Fire District's current assessed valuation, the estimated monthly cost to homeowners for a 3.0 mill property tax measure would be:

• $1.74 per month for a $100,000 residence

• $3.48 per month for a $200,000 residence

• $5.33 per month for a $300,000 residence

• $6.95 per month for a $400,000 residence

• $8.70 per month for a $500,000 residence

• $10.44 per month for a $600,000 residence

• $12.18 per month for a $700,000 residence

• Protecting and improving emergency response times

• Ensuring consistent, equitable emergency service coverage across the Fire District’s service area

• Enhancing emergency services by adding in-house paramedics and firefighters/EMTs

• Improving patient outcomes by reducing delays in critical care situations

• Increasing the number of ambulances available in the community

• Building a more resilient and self-reliant Fire District

The Hudson Fire Protection District is an all-hazard agency, providing services to approximately 96 square miles in southern Weld County, Colorado. We proudly serve the communities of Hudson, Lochbuie, and unincorporated Weld County.

About 12,000 residents live within the Fire District’s boundaries.

The Fire District continues to experience increases in call volumes overall and for EMS services. Total annual emergency calls have increased 33% since 2020. EMS calls are up 30% since 2020.

The Fire District’s current average response time for ambulances is about 6-8 minutes, but that would likely double if a Fire District ambulance service was not established and the District must rely on neighboring fire departments. HFPD’s goal is to decrease its current response time to 3-5 minutes by bringing EMS services in-house.

The Fire District has 2 staffed stations and 1 quarter master station (storage). Station 1 in Hudson and Station 3 in Lochbuie are staffed 24/7.

There are 4 firefighters at each station and 1 Battalion Chief; giving the Fire District 9 full-time paid firefighters at all times, day and night, to respond to an emergency. From the time of dispatch to the time out the door to an emergency is 90 seconds or less, regardless the time of day the call comes in. This is the standard the Fire District maintains and practices. The Fire District does not currently employ paramedics for Firefighter/EMT crews to staff ambulances. If a Fire-District-run ambulance service is established, an additional 12 full-time staff members would be needed--either all paramedics or a combination of 6 firefighter/EMTs and 6 paramedics.