Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

Arvada Fire answers all 911 calls for Emergency Medical Services within our response boundaries.

  • Five fire trucks provide Advanced Life Support (ALS) capability and three fire trucks provide Basic Life Support (BLS) capability.
  • Five ALS ambulances are in service to treat and transport patients to the appropriate hospital for their injury or illness. 

A sixth ambulance is normally unstaffed but is ready to be placed in service at a moment's notice during periods of high emergency call volume. All of our firefighters are trained to at least the EMT-Basic level and are trained to perform IVs. Our ALS fire trucks and all ambulances are staffed with a firefighter who is trained as a paramedic.

The District provides EMS under the guidance of a physician adviser, who is based out of Exempla Lutheran Medical Center (ELMC) in Wheat Ridge. ELMC also works collaboratively with Arvada Fire personnel to provide monthly continuing medical education courses.

Equipment

Arvada Fire fire trucks and ambulances are equipped with Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs), electrocardiogram (EKG) monitors, carbon monoxide detectors, as well as a number of medications that save lives in the event of cardiac, respiratory, anaphylactic, and other emergency situations.

Our fire trucks also carry special rescue equipment to extricate trapped patients involved in motor vehicle collisions. The District's firefighters are trained to perform rescue techniques with many state-of-the-art tools. Our complement of specialized tools includes the famous "Jaws of Life".

Community and Beyond

Arvada Fire EMS personnel contribute to the health and welfare of the community in many ways beyond responding to emergencies. Our stations conduct blood pressure and blood sugar checks as a public service. CPR and first aid training as well as children's and citizen's fire academies that encompass EMS topics are held throughout the year. The District also participates in the 9 Health Fair and Jeffco Health Department's Shot for Tots each year.

Exceptional service is critically important to us. The District has an active EMS Process Improvement Team. This team evaluates the quality of all aspects of our medical service delivery. The District is proud to include excellent emergency medical care as a crucial component of our mission.