|
At some time or another, you may very well need help from the folks listed here, or need to call them for someone else. Heroes to many people over the years, you will see for yourself how much they give to the community. Our geographic isolation often means that help, as speedy as it is, may still be hours away. Or it may mean a trip to a hospital that is, at a minimum, one hour away. So, as my Mom used to tell us kids, don't hurt yourself! But should you need help, here's the nitty gritty:
Lake City Fire Rescue
For emergencies: call 911
Station is located at the corner of Henson and Second Streets.
The fire department is a volunteer-based, government-funded organization with a set boundary for service, which is called a fire protection district. If your home is not located within the district, the department will still respond to you but you may be liable for payment of the services provided. You can also petition to become a part of the district if you qualify. The secretary for the district can be reached at the Town of Lake City offices, 970-944-2333, to find out if your location is within the fire protection district.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
For emergencies: call 911
Lake City has a small army of trained and certified volunteer emergency medical technicians, including highly trained EMTs, a physician's assistant, and a medical doctor. They have an ambulance made especially for our altitude and they can call in Flight-For-Life if needed. Flight-For-Life is a helicopter ambulance service that will transport patients to trauma centers at other locations. Staff at our Medical Center can treat less severe problems. (see Medical Center listing below for more information).
Search & Rescue
For emergencies: call 911
These are the folks who will help in case you have some trouble out in the wilderness. Part mountain goat, part EMT, they work in conjunction with the County Sheriff to find you and pull you out of messes, such as getting lost or getting hurt in the great outdoors. They are Wilderness First Responders, and can use their considerable back country skills to stabilize and transport injured people, or to lead a search for a missing person. Don't forget to buy your hiker's insurance card at the visitor center, and to always leave an itinerary before you go out on an excursion. And no, your cell
phone almost certainly will not work out there.
Hinsdale County Sheriff
For emergencies: call 911
The County Sheriff and staff (under-sheriff, deputies, dispatcher) work in conjunction with the other emergency services described above, providing support and assistance. Their jurisdiction includes both the county and the town. They handle traffic issues and enforce ordinances that keep the peace. In the unlikely occurrence that someone is the victim of a crime, the Sheriff takes reports and complaints, and sees to it that due process is followed. The Sheriff is an advocate of community policing, and he and his staff make regular, informal rounds to visit with residents and business owners whenever they can.
For additional information about the Sheriff's department please use the non-
emergency contact information below during regular business hours.
Hinsdale County Sheriff Ron Bruce
311 Henson Street, next to the Courthouse
970-944-2291 during business hours. This number will reach Gunnison dispatch when no one is at the Sheriff's office.
Lake City Area Medical Center
This rural health care clinic is staffed by a full-time physician. They offer urgent care, primary care, minor surgery, sonography, x-ray, flu shots and other vaccines, plus other services, including ambulance service. For emergencies, call 9-1-1. Business phone: 970-944-2331. The medical center is located at the corner of Henson & 7th Streets.
Hospitals
The Gunnison Valley Hospital is located 55 miles away in Gunnison and the Montrose Memorial Hospital is 104 miles away in Montrose. There are various specialists located in those cities as well.
Dental Care
The Lake City Area Medical Center arrange dental appointments with a hygenist and a dentist. You can call them at 970-944-2231 to make an appointment. Other dentists are available in Gunnison, Crested Butte, Montrose, and beyond.
|
