General Info:
In accordance with the regulations set forth in the Colorado Revised Statutes, Trinidad Ambulance District ( TAD ) was established as a Special District in 1989 to serve the pre-hospital, emergency medical needs of the citizens of Las Animas County. At the time of formation, TAD's tax base included the city limits of Trinidad as they existed at that time. Special District rules require that TAD be administered by a Board of Directors ( five members ), elected to serve four year terms from within the population of the City of Trinidad. In addition to the Board of Directors, the day-to-day operations of TAD are overseen by an Executive Director. Special District rules also require that TAD operate under a Service Plan that was approved by the Board of County Commissioners for Las Animas County as well as the County Court. Final approval came in the general election held in November of 1988, wherein the voters of the City of Trinidad, by majority vote, authorized TAD formation and the mil levy that partially supported TAD until 2008. In 2006 the voters of Las Animas County approved a general election ballot question that expanded TAD's tax base to include all of Las Animas County and established a new mil levy that was lower than the original mil levy approved in 1989. The 2006 ballot question did not fundamentally change TAD's organizational structure ; we still have an elected Board of Directors ( members can now reside anywhere within the county ) and an Executive Director. Our management team has expanded, however, over the past few years. We now have an Operations Supervisor, a QRT ( see below ) Supervisor, and have plans to eventually add a Continuing Education Supervisor to the management staff. Las Animas County is the third largest county in the lower 48. Consequently response times from Trinidad can be extended. To address this concern, TAD sponsors, through our County wide Fire Protection Districts, Quick Response Teams ( QRT ) made up of trained and equipped volunteers who can provide Basic Life Support care until a responding TAD ambulance arrives. TAD sponsorship of these teams includes: initial and on-going training up to an EMT-Basic level, providing each team member with a jump kit containing basic medical supplies ; and for the Fire Protection Districts: a fully stocked Basic Life Support ambulance. When a 911 call is received at our dispatch center the QRT volunteers are dispatched at the same time as the TAD ambulance. Since these teams operate within your geographic area, response time delays are minimized.