Denver Metro Fire Apparatus

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[quote name='Dickey' timestamp='1341606969' post='491373']

I don't understand the different "metro" departments...West Metro, South Metro, Southwest Metro.....



How many metros are there and how big are their response areas? Are they private companies or a cooperation of the municipalities?

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These Fire Districts are called [url="http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/DOLA-Main/CBON/1251594652456"]Special Districts[/url]. They are similar to municipalities, except they cover their own specific geographic areas and collect specific taxes through mill levies set through votes, etc... This is similar to School Districts, Parks and Rec Districts, etc... They are generally governed by their own Boards of Directors, who approve expenditures, budgets, etc... In many cases in Colorado, special districts exist in unincorporated areas (i.e. those areas not within the annexed area of Cities), or were in existence before Cities were founded. In West Metro's case, it is a special district that covers much of the west part of the Denver Metro Area, including the incorporated City of Lakewood and unincorporated Jefferson County. Two of the three Departments that combined to make up West Metro (Lakewood FPD and Bancroft FPD) have existed since 1937 and 1947, respectively, well before Lakewood incorporated (1969). That's pretty much why they still exist. In Arizona you have special Fire Districts (Sun City, Sun City West, Sun Lakes, etc...) that cover areas of Metro Phoenix that are basically unincorporated "Cities" which receive municipal services through several entities (generally fire through their own district, law enforcement through contracts, generally with the Maricopa County SD, water from private companies, etc...). Like in Colorado, fire services are taxed through a special taxing district.