The Protection District is governed by a five-member, publicly-elected Board of Directors who serve up to two consecutive four-year terms. The Protection District is managed by a career Fire Chief and a Deputy Chief of Operations. The District is a combination department, meaning it is staffed by career (paid) firefighter/emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics as well as reserve (volunteer) firefighter/EMTs.

The Protection District responds to calls within 113 square miles of unincorporated El Paso County. It serves more than 66,300 residents (per El Paso County Assessor, Oct. 2018) and protects more than 16,100 structures with a 2018 estimated market value of $4.2 billion.

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The District responded to 3,973 calls in 2023. In 2022 and 2021, The District responded to 4,232 and 3,675 calls respectively.

When responding to a call, each engine carries a minimum of three firefighters and each ambulance carries one paramedic and one firefighter. Since many responses are related to medical issues, we respond with one engine and one ambulance. 

In 2017, about 3.8 percent of calls involved responses to active fires (structural, wildland, vehicle, etc.). This number does not include fire alarms, hazardous materials incidents, or calls that were initially reported as fires but turned out to be something else (smoke from heavy equipment, authorized fire pit, etc.). 

A minimum of two engines-six firefighters and a battalion chief respond to fire calls. Other resources may be assigned depending on the type of fire (structure, wildland, vehicle, etc.)

The Department operates from five stations for the protection of our citizens and businesses.

• Station 1, at Meridian Ranch Boulevard and Stapleton Road, is staffed 24/7.
• Station 2, on North Meridian Road in the north end of the District, is not staffed.
• Station 3, on Old Meridian Road and Highway 24, is staffed 24/7.
• Station 4, on Capital Drive north of Constitution Avenue, is staffed 24/7.
• Station 6, on Jones Road in the east end of the District, is not staffed.

The District continuously assesses operational needs to support growth in the Falcon area. Future goals under consideration include adding living quarters at Station 2 to facilitate 24/7 staffing, with the intent to reduce response times in the north end of the fire district. 

• 3 fire engines
• 1 four-wheel-drive engine
• 1 pumper/tender
• 3 ambulances
• 4 water tenders
• 4 brush trucks
• 2 Quick Response Vehicles (QRVs)
• 2 utility trucks
• 1 command vehicle
• 1 reserve ambulance
• 1 reserve engine

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The average life span of firefighting equipment is 10-15 years.

The current cost of replacing a fire engine is between $525,000 - $600,000 just for the vehicle. Additional equipment (hose, nozzles, self-contained breathing apparatus, hand tools, power tools, medical equipment, etc.) adds about $100,000 to the cost.

A brush truck, which is designed and used specifically for fighting wildland fires, costs about $100,000 fully equipped.

A water tender runs about $225,000 - $250,000 including equipment.

We took delivery of our newest firefighting vehicle, a Rosenbauer fire engine, in 2019. Our oldest apparatus, a tender, was delivered in 2002.

Funding remains one of the biggest challenges for the Falcon Fire Protection District, which serves one of the fastest growing areas in El Paso County. FFPD has one of the lowest mill levies of any county fire district, which impacts our ability to hire staff, replace aging equipment, build new fire stations, and invest in current firefighting technology in order to better serve District residents.

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The District's funding comes primarily from property tax income. The District receives no funding from El Paso County or the State of Colorado. 

The District offers a number of programs, which include:

• Fire prevention and education information via social media platforms (Facebook and Twitter) and in local news media.
• Presentations to local public schools, homeowner associations, and local civic and service organizations.
• Extensive resources and educational pages on this website. 

The District continually recruits new reserve (volunteer) firefighters. Most career firefighters are hired from the District’s reservist ranks. 

Applicants for reserve (volunteer) firefighter positions must:​

• Be 18 years of age or older
• Possess a High School Diploma or GED
• Possess a valid driver’s license
• Have a clean criminal record

For complete information, visit our Employment page.