June 2025
The Oak Creek Fire Protection District (OCFPD) has received a philanthropic bridge loan of $300K for the purchase and outfitting of a new ambulance to serve the South Routt region. While OCFPD had secured a grant from the State of Colorado to cover partial expenses of the new ambulance and specialized equipment, the loan filled the gap for the full cost to replace their outdated and failing 2003 ambulance before the start of the 2025 summer season.
“Our District was without a second ambulance for three months last year because the older ambulance had dry rot and was out of service getting repaired,” said David Park, OCFPD Board President. “This new rig, outfitted with up-to-date systems and equipment, gives our employees the tools to provide higher levels of care and gives our residents more security in our ability to quickly respond. And with the addition of the third ambulance, we can more readily deploy our older ambulance for wildland fires in other states, which raises funds for our District.”
OCFPD serves an area of approximately 300 square miles with a base population of just under 3,000 people; in addition to the challenges faced by serving a rural area, they are also experiencing rapid growth due to population increases and rising call volumes. The new ambulance provides better assurance that first responders can access an emergency, and the modern equipment enhances emergency medical response capabilities and rural patient care. Some examples of upgraded equipment include a LUCAS Device, a mechanical chest compression system that can take over CPR for EMTs and allow rescuers to focus on other critical tasks such as administering additional care or preparing for transport, and a MegaMover, a portable, non-rigid transport device used for patient movement in challenging environments, improving mobility in confined or rugged terrain.
OCFPD is pursuing other grants and charitable donations to help cover the full cost of the new ambulance and equipment and to help them repay the short-term loan. The Oak Creek Fire Protection District Fund, an agency fund held at YVCF, has been opened to accept donations for this capital project as well as to raise funds to support their structure and wildland fire protection services and other capital needs.
“We are really pleased that through our relatively new Impact Investing program we can leverage our assets to help nonprofits access low-expense capital – catalyzing their transformational efforts and actually improving their bottom line,” said Tim Wohlgenant, YVCF CEO. “And once the repayments are made, we’ll be able to invest the returned loans toward other opportunities.”
To learn more about YVCF’s Impact Investment Program, go to: https://yvcf.org/impact-investing/