SAM Magazine—McCall, Idaho, Sept. 4, 2024—Brundage Mountain Resort has established a new fire department based at the resort and will soon be a licensed EMS transport provider, creating its own independent emergency response agencies that will serve the resort area.

The new Brundage Mountain Fire Protection Association (BMFPA) hired a fire chief this spring, acquired a fire truck earlier this summer, and recruited 14 volunteer trainees—all Brundage Mountain staffers from a variety of departments—who have since completed their initial firefighter training. The crew officially began providing essential fire protection services to the Brundage Mountain community on Sept. 1. 

The fire truck and other equipment are currently housed in existing buildings at the resort. Construction of a dedicated fire station facility will begin this fall. When complete, the new station will house equipment, provide training space, and serve as the operational hub for fire protection efforts. 

In addition to the new station, a new 435,000-gallon water tank is scheduled to come online this fall to supplement the existing 100,000-gallon talk that has supplied base area operations for decades. The new tank will have a 180,000-gallon fire suppression reserve. The tank is part of a system that includes a hydrant beside each new building in the ski resort’s base area (more on the new buildings below). 

On the medical services side, the resort has purchased an ambulance and applied for state licensing as a transport EMS agency. Brundage Mountain Emergency Medical Services (BMEMS) has operated as a state-licensed non-transport agency since the resort’s patrol earned EMS designation in 2021. 

The resort is outfitting the ambulance with the necessary equipment and expects to have all the pieces in place to offer EMS transport services originating at Brundage Mountain while the resort is open by the start of the 2024-25 ski season. 

“Having an ambulance at Brundage will enable patients needing transport to reach the emergency room much faster,” said Brundage patrol and EMS director Janna Allen. “More importantly, we’re excited to provide continuity of care for our patients by transferring care from our on-mountain EMS providers directly to ER physicians.”

The Brundage Mountain EMS also welcomed Dr. Andrew Narver as its new medical director. Narver replaces Dr. Gregory Irvine in this position and will oversee all EMS operations. 

Brundage Mountain has been working to establish an independent fire protection agency and independent EMS transport services since a change in Idaho state code prevented it from extending its service agreement with McCall Fire & EMS. 

After exploring several options, Brundage Mountain management determined that funding and operating these two agencies independently was the best way to ensure prompt response times and the security of everyone who visits or resides in the Brundage Mountain community. The nearest full-time staffed fire station is in McCall, 11 miles away, and Meadows Valley volunteer fire department is 11 miles away in the opposite direction. The on-site fire department and EMS will dramatically shorten response times.

The new services are also in preparation for the development of 388 acres of private land at the resort's base area, which will include a 17,000-square-foot Mountain Adventure Center that will open this season, 33 new homes/cottages for which several foundations have already been poured, and eventually 45 more cottages/townhomes adjacent to those.

“When it comes to the safety and health of our team and our guests, we’re not willing to take any chances,” said Brundage Mountain general manager Ken Rider. “Creating and enhancing our own independent agencies means we can relieve some stress from the EMS and emergency systems in Meadows Valley and Valley County while ensuring we have exceptional emergency response coverage at Brundage Mountain.”