BLACK FOREST, CO — Instead of having to send their recruits to other classrooms, the Monument and Black Forest Fire Departments are going to train 15 recruits at one of their fire stations.
"We quickly recognized the need to create something new in El Paso County," said Chief Andy Kovacs of the Monument Fire Department. "With that, the fire service, departments, need to grow with our community"
The Monument and Black Forest areas have seen growth just like anywhere else in El Paso County, and more people means more needed coverage.
The two departments have typically sent recruits to get trained in Lakewood and Colorado Springs, but both of those areas have seen growth as well.
"Unfortunately, because they are in need of firefighters, they didn't have the capacity to support us. So this venture with Pikes Peak College and Black Forest Fire was really to create a local academy that we could sustain year in and year out," said Kovacs.
The fire academy will host 15 recruits through a 640-hour course at the Black Forest Fire Rescue Station #1.
"It's a 16-week program, 5 days a week, Monday through Friday, 8 to 5 every day. They'll be doing physical training, classroom work, and then drilled around as well," said Jaimie Gutschick Co-Chair of Fire and Science Technology at Pikes Peak State College.
Gutschick says the program will also give future firefighters five different certifications that they need to join any fire department.
Fire officials hope this program will serve other areas in Colorado that also need more firefighters. Pooling resources for the benefit of the communities they protect.
"It's just really hard logistically, financially, the human resources that are required to do things like this. By getting together and partnering in these types of relationships, it really allows us the opportunity to do things we couldn't do ourselves," said Chief Kovacs.
The first classes are set to start in January of 2024.
Click here to learn more about the Pikes Peak Regional Fire Academy course load.
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