Consolidation with Summit Fire & EMS

Summit County Ambulance Service and Summit Fire & EMS are merging into a single organization under an agreement between the Summit County Board of Commissioners and the Summit Fire Board of Directors.

After significant analysis, planning and collaboration, the two entities merged operations on July 1. They will complete a formal financial and legal unification by Jan. 1, 2020.

The two organizations are jointly constructing a new administration building in the Summit County Commons near Frisco, scheduled to open in mid-July. The 9,400-square-foot building will house all administrative functions of Summit County Ambulance Service and Summit Fire & EMS, as well as Summit Fire's permit and inspection functions.

Summit Fire and Summit County Ambulance Service have shared staffing and housing at Station 1 in Copper Mountain, Station 8 in Dillon and Station 11 in Keystone for years, and firefighters have been cross-staffing on ambulances on each shift for more than two years.

The merger forms the second-largest emergency-response agency on the Western Slope, with more than 100 employees. Red, White & Blue Fire will remain an independent, stand-alone entity covering emergency response in Breckenridge and southern Summit County.