Baumgarten named new Fire Chief in Hot Sulphur
lmaggart@skyhidailynews.com
Sally DiSciullo / Special to the Sky-Hi News |
The Hot Sulphur Springs/Parshall Fire Protection District has a new Fire Chief.
The Board of Directors for the HSS/PFPD recently named Tom Baumgarten as the new Fire Chief for the District. Baumgarten took over interim Fire Chief duties on Jan. 1, 2016 after the official departure of the departments most recent Fire Chief Brad White on Dec. 31.
“I’m really excited and honored to be appointed to this position,” Baumgarten said. “We have a great department and our volunteers are top notch. They have a go-get-em attitude for training and response; that makes this job a lot easer and a lot more fun. I can’t wait to see where it goes from here.”
Before taking over his new duties as Chief with the HSS/PFPD Baumgarten was Assistant Chief with the department. He has served has a firefighter in the Hot Sulphur Springs area for nine years.
Originally from Mount Clemens Mich. Baumgarten lived in the area of Golden Colo. for four years before moving to Grand County. Baumgarten began his career in firefighting with the HSS/PFPD when former District Chief George Davis recruited Baumgarten to attend a training night event.
“I’ve been hooked ever since,” Baumgarten said.
Baumgarten’s role as Chief with the department is a paid part-time position, the only non-volunteer position in the HSS/PFPD. Along with Baumgarten the HSS/PFPD has 14 volunteer firefighters that operate from two fire stations, one in Hot Sulphur Springs and a new station in Parshall.
According to Baumgarten the District’s area of responsibility includes the land from the west side of Drowsy Water Ranch Road to approximately mile-marker 195 on Highway 40. Their service area also stretches westward towards Parshall and encompasses the entirety of Henderson Mill. Like other fire departments in area the HSS/PFPD regularly responds to calls for assistance from other departments in Grand County.
Outside of firefighting Baumgarten’s full-time job is being a field mechanic for the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).
“That is kind of how I started getting my niche,” he said. “I started working on all the trucks.”
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