Colfax Fire Department establishes new nonprofit

COLFAX – Twenty minutes – to many people, this time translates to grabbing a cup of coffee, reading an article in today’s paper or even watching a video on Facebook of a puppy hilariously failing at catching a slice of pizza.

But for the volunteer first responders at Colfax Fire Department, 20 minutes could make the difference in saving someone’s life.

“Time is everything on a call,” volunteer firefighter EMT Issac Hunsberger said. “Our new heart monitor is huge for us because we can transmit what is going on in the back of that rig about the patient’s heart to the hospital before we get there. We are 20 minutes away, and the doctor can see exactly what is going on with that patient’s heart, the rhythm, the problems – they can get that trauma room or bay ready before we get there.”

This year, the Colfax Fire Department established the Colfax Fire Association Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization that will allow people to give tax-deductible donations to the department. Hunsberger said these donations will help upgrade the department’s equipment, as well as help fund the training and further certification of staff volunteers.

The CFD volunteers say the more efficient the department is, the more time they save. And the more time they save, the better they can serve the community.

“We bring advanced level health care to their door step now. In a normal call that we get a patient in a truck, we had to stop somewhere along the way and tier with a paramedic out of Des Moines. Now, most of our calls, advanced life support starts in house (thanks to the equipment and training we have),” paramedic firefighter Justin Smith said. “There is a lot training, a lot of hours, a lot of money involved in keeping this community safe.”

According to Smith, the 35-volunteer staff receives training and constant certification to ensure they are executing up-to-date techniques and practices when responding to a call. With the addition of upgrading and replacement of equipment, such as the $98,500 brush truck, $4,944.30 radio upgrade, $10,722.43 for an in-motion computer and $10,705.07 ambulance upgrade for defibrillator transmitting capabilities that were approved in December’s city council meeting, the department members said the dollars this new nonprofit aims to generate will be used to help keep the small town volunteer fire department competitive with any other department in the state.

“The state doesn’t look at us any different than a full-time department. We have the same qualifications, and the same rules and regulations as any department in the metro,” Smith said. “I have traveled all around with all different departments to get my paramedic license. I rode with city’s around us and metro, and Colfax Fire Department’s equipment and personnel are among the best in this area.”

The CFD volunteers said the department leaders have been discussing the establishment of the Colfax Fire Association for more than a year. With the department’s annual soup supper as the primary and main fundraiser for the department, they say they hope this will help generate some regular donations throughout the year.

“(Forming) this (501(c)(3) organization) has been in the works for quite some time,” Hunsberger said. “It just took a while to make sure this is what is best for the community, what is best for the department and would benefit the community.”

The two said Colfax Fire Association is already accepting tax-deductible donations in its name. The annual soup supper is scheduled to kick off March 10.

“The community stands behind us,” Hunsberger said. “I had no idea the stuff we see on scene. The stuff we face. We are all volunteers. We all work 40-hour jobs or more. To respond to those calls and to know the community behind you is willing to support you with the equipment, funding, whatever it may be, it just let us know they got our back.”

For more information, call 515-674-9113 or find Colfax Fire Department on Facebook.

Contact Anthony Victor Reyes at areyes@jaspercountytribune.com