At approximately 1 a.m. today, crews from Vail Fire and Emergency Services were dispatched to a reported structure fire at the Sandstone 70 condominiums located at 909 Red Sandstone Road in Vail. Upon arrival, crews found a well-established fire in the upper unit of a fourplex. The fire was quickly knocked down from the exterior and then with the assistance of Eagle River Fire Protection District Engine 5, crews confirmed that all of the occupants were out of the building while extinguishing the remainder of the fire inside the unit. The fire was contained to one unit; the surrounding units in the building had smoke damage. A total of 10 occupants were displaced. Crews remained on scene for several hours to ensure the fire was completely extinguished. There were no injuries reported.
INVITATION TO BID Sealed bids will be received by Vail Fire and Emergency Services (VFES) for the furnishing of necessary labor, equipment, and material for a Custom Side Mount Rescue Pumper fire apparatus and other equipment as outlined in the following specifications.
Effective Feb. 1, Eagle County’s EC Alert service will change how it delivers non-emergency messages. Non-emergency messaging from EC Alert will no longer be sent as text messages; instead, the messaging for announcements such as traffic alerts, area alerts, business alerts and red flag warnings will be sent via email and the Everbridge app.
Vail Fire & Emergency Services has joined with Eagle River Fire Protection District to expand services available on Community Connect, the secure platform allowing residents to voluntarily share critical life-safety information about their home and family which is then made available to first responders at the time of dispatch.
Fire Chief Mark Novak is pleased to announce the Vail community has maintained an excellent insurance rating following an assessment of the department’s fire suppression resources by the Insurance Services Office. ISO is an independent company that serves insurance companies and others by providing information about risk. Vail’s assessment was conducted earlier this year.
Vail Fire & Emergency Services, Eagle River Fire Protection District and Greater Eagle Fire Protection District roll out platform to better engage residents to prepare for emergency situations and ultimately keep their community safe.
The 7th Annual Eagle County Public Safety Awards will be held on Oct. 29 at Donovan Pavilion for award winners and their families, followed by a virtual celebration for all citizens from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Nov. 1. Initiated by the Rotary Clubs of Eagle County after 9/11 to recognize area public safety heroes, this event will recognize outstanding emergency responders, medical professionals and community leaders. This year is especially meaningful due to the extra demands and risk of COVID-19 and the life-threatening wildfires.
The Vail Fire Department went virtual this year to promote National Fire Prevention Week which took place Oct. 4-10. Unable to host the annual open house format at the West Vail Fire Station or do their regular classroom visits due to the pandemic, firefighters were featured in safety videos to emphasize this year’s theme, “Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen.”
Only a few weeks remain for free curbside chipping services provided by Vail Fire and Emergency Services before coming to an end for the season. The chipping is available through Thursday, Oct. 15 to assist with defensible space on private property.
Police Chief Dwight Henninger and Fire Chief Mark Novak are hosting a timely conversation around Vail’s Emergency Evacuation Plan, reasons the town may need to be evacuated and how to personally prepare for an evacuation as well as address community concerns and questions.
Use these resources for updated status reports on nearby wildfires, smoke and traffic impacts, and local fire restrictions.
Wednesday's update on the Grizzly Creek Fire from the National Incident Management Team and U.S. Forest Service.
Vail's police and fire chiefs discuss the importance of planning ahead for an evacuation, especially during this hot and dry summer. Don't wait for a pre-evacuation order, as there may not be time.
Vail Fire and Emergency Services is continuing to provide a free curbside chipping service to assist property owners with defensible space on private property. The service is available through Oct. 15 and includes chipping for branches, logs and small trees up to 15 inches in diameter. Slash must be stacked neatly in piles no larger than 5’ x 5’ x 5’ per pile. Property owners are not limited to the number of piles they can have chipped. Slash pick up will occur on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the summer. Property owners are asked to avoid piling slash in the roadway or public right of way.
Fire officials from across the region are asking everyone to be mindful of the heightened risk for wildfire in the area. With the Grizzly Creek Fire burning in nearby Garfield County, the pending implementation of Stage 2 fire restrictions across Eagle County and the likelihood of Red Flag Fire Weather Warnings, Vail Fire Chief Mark Novak is encouraging personal preparedness during this time of heightened risk.