Wildland paramedics in Colorado mountains train to protect firefighters on duty

As Colorado heads into what experts worry could be a busy wildfire season, specialized paramedics are preparing to deploy alongside firefighters. They will provide medical care in some of the most remote and dangerous environments in the state. 

Wildland paramedics with Eagle County Paramedic Services said it takes pride being qualified to respond to our state’s dangerous natural disasters alongside firefighters to keep them in the fight. 

“It’s pretty important that we have an understanding, even if we’re not doing the same job that they are of exactly what’s going on kind of top to bottom of the entire incident,” paramedic Beckett Lilien told CBS Colorado. 

To work on a wildfire assignment, paramedics and EMTs must earn what’s known as a “red card,” completing specialized training in wildfire behavior, safety protocols and fire operations. The goal is to make sure firefighters can focus on fighting fire without worrying about providing medical care if something goes wrong.

Lilien said the job ranges from treating common issues such as dehydration, illness and blisters to handling serious emergencies. 

“If a tree falls on somebody or somebody drives a blade through their foot or the chainsaw slips or something like that, being able to respond and give point-of-injury care,” Lilien said.

Wildland firefighters said having medical professionals embedded with crews is a major advantage, especially when fires are burning in remote terrain where help can be hours away.

“If someone does get hurt, they’ll take control of that situation, and I can continue to focus on putting the fire out. And that’s really important,” said Hugh Fairfield-Smith, division chief of wildland fire operations for the Eagle River Fire Protection District.

The partnership comes as fire agencies across Colorado prepare for elevated wildfire risk following a dry winter and below-average snowpack. Lilien said conditions are developing earlier than normal this year, raising concerns about what the rest of the summer could bring. Still, firefighters said having trained medical personnel on standby provides peace of mind.

“It’s a safety blanket there we hope we never have to use,” Fairfield-Smith said. “But they’re there.”