For over 40 years, the NFAA has been the only EMS agency servicing the North Fork Valley. The dedicated men and women who compose the NFAA are the life-blood of our organization. Read more about the development of our "community-built" service below.

 

Our idea was, and still is to provide the best emergency medical service in the North Fork Valley supported by revenue from memberships not tax dollars.

Formed in 1969 with just a handful of volunteers and one used station wagon, the North Fork Ambulance Association began to carry out that goal. Today, the NFAA covers an area of 1500 square miles with a fleet of ambulances stationed in the communities of Paonia, Hotchkiss and Crawford. From humble beginnings, the NFAA board has always strived to to have the most current technology and equipment available for volunteers and patients.

 

Our Initial Equipment...

  • 1964 Oldsmobile Hearse
  • Gurney Stretcher
  • Oxygen
  • Suction Equipment
  • First Aid Equipment
  • Splints & a backboard

Back then, with the association only having one 'ambulance', when a call came in for Hotchkiss or Crawford, one person would pick up the ambulance in Paonia, and then go pickup someone in Hotchkiss to respond to the scene. Often, the procedure would be reversed, and the ambulance would be kept in Hotchkiss.

Since those early days, the association has grown from one old hearse and a few volunteers to two ambulances in Paonia and Hotchkiss and one ambulance in Crawford, continuously updated equipment, and most importantly over 65 volunteer EMTs and drivers.

A Short Equipment Chronology...

  • 1969 - Acquired a 1964 Oldsmobile Hearse via a donation from the Rotary
  • 1971- Type 1 Ambulance acquired through a region 10 grant
  • 1972 Chevrolet Vanguard obtained
  • 1979- Ambulance acquired for Paonia
  • 1980- Ambulance acquired for Hotchkiss
  • 1983- Crawford service established with a Ford Vanguard
  • 1986- Crawford rig upgraded with 1979 Vanguard from Restore
  • 1990- Paonia Ambulance Replacement Upgrade
  • 1993- Hotchkiss Ambulance Replacement Upgrade
  • 1993- Crawford Ambulance Replacement Upgrade
  • 1995- Hotchkiss Ambulance Replacement Upgrade
  • 1996- Paonia Ambulance Replacement Upgrade
  • 2003- Hotchkiss and Paonia Ambulances upgraded to 2002 Ford PowerStroke Type II Econoline Vans
  • 2004- Crawford Ambulance upgraded to 2005 Ford PowerStroke Type II Econoline Van
  • 2004- Backup Ambulance added to Hotchkiss barn
  • 2008- Paonia Ambulance Upgrade- 1996 Econoline Type II replaced with 2009 GMC Duramax Diesel Type II
  • 2009- 1993 Crawford Rig Donated to the Delta-Montrose Technical College for a training ambulance in EMT education courses
  • August 2009- Paonia Ambulance Barn Burns down, both rigs a total loss- operate out of donated rig from Trinidad & backup rig from Hotchkiss
  • January 2010- Paonia Ambulance Upgrades- Two 2010 Ford PowerStroke Type II Econoline Vans

August 2009 - Paonia Ambulance Barn Fire

On August 6, 2009, a fire broke out in the engine compartment of one of the ambulances in the Paonia ambulance barn. To date, the ambulances, equipment and supplies housed at this facility have been replaced. Service to the Paonia community was being operated out of the local fire department and as of February, 2010, the Paonia operation was moved back to its own building. Many thanks from the NFAA to all persons, agencies and the State of Colorado EMS Department for the support that was received. Service to the Paonia community was never disrupted by this incident; also with thanks to the local personnel in Paonia for the many hours dedicated to that end.

Community...

Its not something you read about or watch on television, we believe it is something you do. No one does 'community' like the North Fork Ambulance Association. We are a group of North Fork Valley residents and business individuals trained and prepared to deliver life-saving services in the event of any medical or trauma injury in the North Fork Valley. In addition to providing 24/7 service 365 days a year, for the entire North Fork Valley, we provide community education in safety accident prevention, CPR and First Aid. We provide cutting-edge training for our drivers and EMTs who are National Registry and State of Colorado certified.

Forty-one years after being established in 1969, the North Fork Ambulance continues to provide life-saving pre-hospital emergency care around the clock thanks to a strong membership base, and we are proud to say that we still do not require or utilize tax dollars to stay operational. Supporting the NFAA through yearly membership dues is therefore the most critical component to sustaining emergency care in the North Fork Valley.

The NFAA is always seeking dedicated, quality, and energetic individuals to join our team and lead us into the future as the sole EMS agency in the North Fork Valley. Financial assistance is available for EMT training. To learn more, please visit our volunteer page by clicking here.