The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
And what the heck is a “Quint”?
By Mark Reaman
As anyone who has built a house knows, it almost always takes a little longer than first expected to finish the project, and the final punch list always has a few kinks. That is true too of bigger projects and the new Crested Butte Fire Protection District fire station is an example.
While originally predicted to be moved into the new facility just north of Crested Butte on Gothic Road near the cemetery by late fall or the end of 2025, the hope now is to be completely operational in the station by the end of this month.
“The elevator final inspection is one of the last things and that should be done this week,” explained CBFPD chief executive officer Sean Caffrey. “We are hopeful for a CO (Certificate of Occupancy) by Wednesday, January 14. We likely won’t move operations crews in until the 20th or so due to IT work that needs to be completed. We expect to be fully operational out of there by the end of the month.”
Some delays in later 2025 included waiting on parts for the lift station that would provide sewer capability with the town of Crested Butte wastewater treatment plant. Inspections for various elements like electrical also got pushed back.
“None of this is a major issue but like most big construction projects, there are a lot of moving parts,” concluded Caffrey. “We think we are 99% of the way there and we should complete the move from Station 1 in town before the end of the month. I think everyone is excited that we are so close.”
Caffrey said he has received several inquiries about the “QUINT” label located above the new station’s third bay. “Quint comes from the Latin for ‘five’ and is a label for fire apparatus that carries the five essential, or quintessential, tools of firefighting including (1) water, (2) pump, (3) hose, (4) ground ladders and (5) aerial ladder,” explained Caffrey. “A quint is a single fire truck designed to do the work of both a fire engine and a ladder truck. It carries water, hose and a fire pump like an engine, and it also includes an aerial ladder for elevated firefighting operations and rescue access usually reserved for ladder trucks.”
As might be expected for something so versatile, it isn’t cheap. The huge truck isn’t finished being assembled and carries a price tag of about $1.8 million. That money is allocated from the regular district budget and is not part of the bond passed to fund the new safety campus.
“The versatility of this truck allows one apparatus to support multiple tactical needs on scene and will work well in our limited staffing level,” said Caffrey. “Our quint for the new station is currently being built in Minnesota and is due to arrive in June. It will be approximately 50 feet long, will have all-wheel drive capability, carry 600 gallons of water and have a 109-foot aerial ladder at a cost of $1.8 million.”
We trust the CB quint will indeed have a place in the new CBFPD facility by the time it gets here just in time to take part in the Fourth of July water fight.
