CRYSTAL LAKES FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

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You can also use the above site to look at maps showing the location of recent emergency notifications and evacuation areas.

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Special Notices

2021 CLVFD Summer Education Series

All workshops are free and open to the public. Schedule subject to change. Register for classes using the link below – we’ll contact you a week prior to the class to confirm date/time OR send a Zoom link if we’ve determined the class can’t be safely conducted in person. You must register to receive the Zoom link, which won’t be posted publicly. Email Marian at mkelly@clvfd.org if you need help registering.

Chainsaw Safety – Learn best practices for operating that chainsaw safely and effectively. Class taught by firefighters certified as sawyers by the Forest Service.

Sunday, May 30 1:00 pm Fire Station
Sunday, July 11 1:00 pm Fire Station

Stop the Bleed! – Save a life. Learn the basics of bleeding control, including how to safely and properly apply a tourniquet. Sponsored by the American College of Surgeons, this program is designed to give everyone the tools to help save friends and neighbors when disaster strikes.

Sunday, May 30 3:00 pm Fire Station

(after Chainsaw Safety class)
Saturday, August 28 9:00 am Fire Station

Fire Mitigation in the Home Ignition Zone – Did you know that many of the most effective steps you can take to protect your home are no more arduous than yardwork? Learn what you can do to increase the chances of your property surviving a wildfire.

Sunday, June 13 1:00 pm Fire Station
Sunday, August 15 9:00 am Fire Station
Saturday, September 25 1:00 pm Fire Station

Get Wildfire Smart About Insurance – Learn how insurance really works in a major disaster, what you'll have to do to collect and what you can do now to make sure you have the resources you'll need to start over with no regrets.
Saturday, July 24 1:00 pm Fire Station

Evacuation: How and When to Get Out – Don’t hesitate because you don’t know what to do. Come and learn how to be prepared for an evacuation, how to know when it’s time to go, and what to do when the time comes. Not just Crystal Lakes specific—this information is useful to property owners in any community affected by wildfires.

Saturday, June 26 9:00 am Fire Station
Friday, August 6 1:00 pm Fire Station
Sunday, September 12 1:00 pm Fire Station

Recent Email Notices

Crystal Lakes Volunteer Fire Department

April 18, 2021

Good afternoon --

In my last email, I shared some information about strokes—statistics, signs and symptoms, and steps you should take. This week, we’re going to talk about heart attacks.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. and the primary cause of a quarter of all deaths. (These stats are pre-COVID.) In the U.S., someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds, and someone dies of heart disease every 36 seconds (this statistic includes death by heart attack, but that’s not the only way heart disease can kill).

Coronary heart disease (also known as coronary artery disease) is a chronic condition that can develop over years as plaque builds up on the artery walls. If that plaque breaks off, forming a blood clot, it can block an artery, causing a heart attack. Risk factors for coronary artery disease include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, and obesity. Approximately half of Americans have at least one risk factor for heart disease. Coronary artery disease can cause the following symptoms: fatigue, dull chest pain, pain or numbness in the neck, abdomen, or back, and shortness of breath. However, it can also develop with few to no symptoms (especially in women), so regular checkups are vital, especially if you have any of the risk factors. Approximately 1 in 13 men have coronary heart disease, as do 1 in 16 women, but women are less likely to be diagnosed or treated for it, making heart disease the number one killer of women in the U.S. More information from the CDC about heart disease risk factors is available here: https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/risk_factors.htm.

When it comes to heart attacks, we all know about the crushing chest pain—that oh so dramatic signifier in tv shows and movies—but only a quarter of Americans know the less obvious, but no less common symptoms. One in five heart attacks is “silent” (presenting without severe pain), but the damage they do is no less severe and, as with strokes, the longer you wait to seek medical attention, the worse the damage may be. In addition, the symptoms women experience are frequently not the same as men. It’s therefore vital that everyone know more about how to recognize the true symptoms of a heart attack.

Here are the most common symptoms of heart attacks (these overlap with the coronary heart disease symptoms—the primary difference is that they’re likely come on suddenly and be more severe):

Uncomfortable chest pain or pressure that lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back
Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or upper stomach
Shortness of breath (with or without chest discomfort)
Breaking out in a cold sweat
Nausea

The above symptoms may be felt by people of either gender and are the ones most commonly experienced by men. Women may feel one or more of the above symptoms, but they often don’t experience the severe pain that we’re all taught to look for. Women may experience any of the above symptoms and/or:

Lightheadedness
A feeling of pressure in the upper back
Fainting or extreme fatigue
A feeling of impending doom (not joking about this one—it’s a fairly common symptom in women and may be felt with no other obvious signs)

As a result of the difference in symptoms, women often think they’re just tired or coming down with something. This can prevent them from getting the medical help they need quickly enough to prevent serious damage or death. In addition, due to the fact that heart attacks don’t “look” the same in women, they’re sometimes not properly diagnosed by hospital staff (so don’t hesitate to push for further tests if you’re experiencing the above symptoms). As a result, while men have more heart attacks, women are more likely to die from them (with a mortality rate twice that of men).

What should you do if you think you or someone you’re with is having a heart attack? Call 911 immediately — time is of the essence! If you have any aspirin available, chew up a 325 mg pill (if all you have is low dose or baby aspirin, take enough to get close to that amount). Do not just swallow it—aspirin is often coated to prevent it from irritating your stomach and it’s vital that there’s no delay in getting it into your system. Aspirin slows blood clotting and may help minimize the damage. Don’t forget to tell the EMTs that you’ve taken aspirin when they arrive.

DO NOT WAIT TO CALL 911. People often try to wait out the pain or think it’s going to get better if they take a nap or otherwise convince themselves that nothing too serious is happening. This isn’t a time to delay—you need to get to a hospital and fast. The very best way to do this is by getting emergency services rolling—we can get you down the mountain much faster than you can. Never try driving yourself to the hospital when you’re experiencing a medical emergency and don’t have a friend or family member do it. The former could result in you getting into an accident if/when your condition worsens, and the latter can be just as bad—your friend or family member will unavoidably be paying more attention to what’s going on with you than the road, no matter how much they think they can focus on driving. Plus, as we all know, there’s an extensive area on the road down to Ft. Collins where there’s no cellphone coverage—what will you do if your passenger suddenly gets much worse in a place where you can’t call for help?

Don’t delay if you’re experiencing any symptoms of a heart attack. Call for help immediately.

Marian Kelly

Assistant Chief

Crystal Lakes Volunteer Fire Department

Practice Wildfire Safety

People start most wildfires - find out how you can promote and practice wildfire safety.

Contact your local fire department, health department, or forestry office for information on fire laws.
Make sure that fire vehicles can get to your home. Clearly mark all driveway entrances and display your name and address.
Report hazardous conditions that could cause a wildfire.
Teach children about fire safety. Keep matches out of their reach.
Post fire emergency telephone numbers.
Ensure adequate accessibility by large fire vehicles to your property.
Plan several escape routes away from your home - by car and by foot.
Talk to your neighbors about wildfire safety. Plan how the neighborhood could work together after a wildfire. Make a list of your neighbors' skills such as medical or technical. Consider how you could help neighbors who have special needs such as elderly or disabled persons. Make plans to take care of children who may be on their own if parents can't get home.

For more information on wildfire safety, visit the U.S. Fire Administration's website.

IN AN EMERGENCY

CALL 9-1-1 FOR ASSISTANCE

Warning Sirens

For the safety of the community, Crystal Lakes Associations has evacuations sirens posted throughout the Association. The evacuation siren in case of failure of the dam is located near the Wapiti Mailsheds to cover the floodplain area and sounds like this whoop sound:

whoop.mp3
MP3 audio file [163.5 KB]

Property owners in the floodplain should evacuate immediately if they hear this siren; all other property owners should remain on their lots, to keep the roads clear for those evacuating the floodplain. Sirens in ALL parts of the association will sound the fire evacuation siren if a wildfire threatens the community -- it sounds like this alert sound:

Alert.mp3
MP3 audio file [168.6 KB]

ALL property owners should evacuate IMMEDIATELY if they hear this siren. Emergency personnel will be on hand to help direct evacuating property owners out of the area.

Where to Find Us:

Crystal Lakes Fire Protection District (CLFPD)

237 Blackfoot Road

Red Feather Lakes, CO 80545

970-881-3521 (Phone)

970-881-2085 (Fax)

clvfd@clvfd.org

Crystal Lakes Volunteer Fire Department (CLVPD)

237 Blackfoot Road

Red Feather Lakes, CO 80545

970-881-3521 (Phone)

970-881-2085 (Fax)

clvfd@clvfd.org

Click here for a map.

How to Contact Us

For more information, feel free to contact us by telephone, email, or by using our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you!

CL FIRES

CL FIRES is dedicated to education, planning, and support in the areas of fire prevention and safety, wildland fire mitigation, and personal safety in the greater Crystal Lakes Community of Larimer County, Colorado.

Click here to join.

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