FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why do emergency vehicles respond with lights and sirens and then turn them off?
Occasionally an emergency vehicle will be dispatched for a call that requires the use of lights and sirens but during their response might be cancelled or downgraded by other units already on-scene. We do not use lights or sirens to run errands faster or get through traffic faster.
What do I do when an emergency vehicle is approaching displaying lights and sirens?
It is the law for you to pull to the right side of the road and stop until all emergency vehicles have passed. If you are already stopped at an intersection, please stay stopped and do not try to move out of the way. This allows for the safety of all drivers during our response.
When you use lights and sirens can you drive however you want?
No, we must still obey the traffic laws. Colorado state law allows us to respond up to 10 mph over the speed limit when responding with lights and sirens, but we still must slow down through school zones and construction zones.
Can I request you to respond to my emergency with out lights and sirens?
Yes you can. However, we often use our best judgment regarding the use of lights and sirens based on the nature of the call. If we do decide to use lights and sirens, then we will try to turn them off when we get on your street.
What is the difference between an EMT & Paramedic?
There are three levels of Emergency Medical Technicians. An EMT-Basic is able to provide basic care and basic life support to patients. EMT-Intermediates and EMT-Paramedics start as an EMT-Basic, but through additional education and training are able to provide more advanced care and advanced life support to patients including some invasive procedures and cardiac monitoring.
Can I get my blood pressure checked at the station?
Yes, as long as we are at the station. If we are not at the station feel free to come by again later. However, if you are having a medical emergency please call 9-1-1 and we will come to you.
Why do I sometimes see the fire department wasting water?
We try not to waste water (or any energy resource) at any time. However, we must train for the various aspects of our jobs which includes flowing water sometimes. In the fall you may see us conducting hose testing to ensure all of our fire hose is in proper working order.
How can I become a fire fighter?
Most agencies require candidates to at least have their EMT-Basic certification (most community colleges offer these programs). Some agencies require the passing of some sort physical fitness test and/or other fire related certifications such as Firefighter I. For CHFD employment and volunteer/reserve requirements, click here.
Am I allowed to burn trash or have a recreational pit fire?
For open burning it depends on several factors: what fire restrictions are in place at the time, whether or not you have a permit, and current weather/wind conditions. For recreational fires, we do have some requirements that need to be followed. Please refer to our Prevention page for more information.
Is there a charge for your services?
CHFD does not charge for any response to an emergency. However, for hazardous materials incidents where we must call in a Haz-Mat team you may receive a bill from them to cover their expenses to mitigate the incident. If you are transported by an ambulance to a hospital, you may receive a bill from the transport agency. We do collect some fees from certain businesses in regards to compliance with the fire codes. For more information on these fees, refer to our Prevention section.
Do you get called to rescue a cat in a tree?
We respond to a variety of service calls including trapped animals on occasion. However, getting a cat out of a tree is not a service we provide. Also, you should know that if we respond on an incident to rescue a trapped animal and we are called to an emergency involving a fire or life safety we will leave the scene to respond to the other call.