'We learned baptism by fire, 'Call the SWAT team out'.'įast forward to 2020, a bona fide team of specialized, firefighting LEOs still hadn't been created, but the desire remained. 'During the Hyde Park Fire when the fire would run over during the middle of the night we asked, 'Who can we call? Who can get there fast?'' Stewart said. Ian Stewart of the Larimer County Sheriff's Office said the concept for a team of law enforcement officers who could also become certified wildland firefighters was first conceived about ten years ago. Since the team was finalized in the spring of 2021, its members have been tasked with responding to similar natural disasters across the Front Range. Most recently, the AHCR team responded to Buckhorn Canyon when flash floods tragically killed two people. Each member has received special weapons and tactics training and, upon joining the AHCR team, wildland fire training. Some are patrol deputies, and others are police officers. The Larimer County Regional All-Hazards Crisis Response team is comprised of 26 law enforcement officers from across the county. Now, there's a team of officers and deputies in Larimer County who step in during natural disasters. The largest wildfire in the state's history prompted first responders to become more efficient and more effective.

Fire officer initial sizeup