Voters across a swath of Denver’s southern suburbs voted this week to merge their fire departments with South Metro Fire Rescue — a partnership that cements South Metro as the second-largest firefighting force in Colorado.
The special May 8 election came about after elected leaders in the Highlands Ranch Metro District and the Littleton Fire Protection District decided late last year to put the consolidation question to voters this week.
South Metro will begin providing services to the two areas starting Jan. 1.
Both Highlands Ranch and Littleton Fire Protection District had been getting their fire and emergency services from Littleton Fire Rescue, which now covers Littleton only. The voters of Littleton Fire Rescue will have a vote of their own this November as to whether to also join South Metro, which would balloon the number of people the agency covers to half a million spread across 285 square miles.
Consolidation proponents say a merger will result in faster response times, fire and emergency medical efficiencies and a potential for reduced property insurance costs due to South Metro’s solid rating as a fire protection agency.