Monument and Black Forest Fire departments fully staffed thanks to new regional academy

VIDEO: The Monument and Black Forest Fire Departments are now fully staffed just in time for peak fire season. It's thanks to a new Joint Fire Academy with Pikes Peak State College (PPSC). The academy's first class of 15 helped bring Monument Fire District to 24 firefighters and Black Forest to 30. As smaller agencies, the two fire departments relied on larger agencies to train their new recruits, said Monument Fire Chief Andy Kovacs. "This year we didn't have that opportunity because the academies were full," said Chief Kovacs. That's when the two fire departments worked with PPSC to create their own 16-week training course. The academy gets students state fire certified so they can start working right after graduation.
KOAA-TV NBC 5 Pueblo

Colorado Springs police, firefighters travel to Georgia for advanced joint training

VIDEO: Colorado Springs first responders got the chance to take part in advanced joint training at a state-of-the-art facility over the past weekend. On May 5, 12 police officers and 9 firefighters traveled to Guardian Centers near Perry, Georgia, for five days of intensive, advanced training. “Anywhere from active shooter to active hostile to multiple casualty incident, MCI response type scenarios,” firefighter Cameron Halverson said. “It’s all geared towards real-life scenarios that one, we’ve already seen in the city, that we’ve seen nationwide, and unfortunately that’s just how things are nowadays, so it’s better to prepare for when the next big incident comes into our city.” Lt. John Havenar with the Colorado Springs Police Department said police and fire crews work well together when they’re on scene together.
KKTV CBS 11 Colorado Springs

Small fire contained inside gated community near Manitou Springs

Downed power lines in Manitou Springs have ignited a small fire inside the Crystal Park gated community. Fire crews responded to Crystal Park Road around 7 a.m. on reports of numerous power lines knocked down and possibly starting fires. The Manitou Springs Fire Department confirmed a fire in one location, the gated neighborhood, which it described as a “light, active fire.” The fire department did not have an exact size but said around 8 a.m. that its crews were building fire lines around the blaze to knock it down. The fire was not threatening homes. Manitou Fire confirmed late Monday morning that the fire was contained.
KKTV CBS 11 Colorado Springs

Several teens rescued from abandoned missile silo in Arapahoe County, one critically hurt

The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office and several other agencies rescued several teens from an abandoned missile silo near Deer Trail Sunday morning. One of the teens was in critical condition after falling 30 feet. A rescue operation had been underway to save the teen. Just before 9 a.m., the teen was rescued and put into a helicopter that was on standby at the scene and airlifted away. Authorities told FOX31 that the teen, who is 18, was expected to survive. The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office told FOX31 that eight teens total trespassed onto the land and made their way to the silo where rescuers were called to the scene around 3:30 a.m. Two other teens also had to be rescued in addition to the one that fell, according to authorities.
KDVR-TV FOX 31 Denver

Fire in southwest Colorado Springs now contained, causes school closure

A fire near the Broadmoor area in Southwest Colorado Springs is now fully contained, according to the Colorado Springs Fire Department. It happened off Mercury Drive, near the Skyway Park Elementary School. Fire crews tell us a power line was blown down by the wind. The school was evacuated and will be closed Monday until further notice. No homes in the neighborhood are affected but power was out at all homes.
KRDO-TV ABC 13 Colorado Springs