Timberline Fire and High Country Auxiliary Jump Into Action During Wind Emergency

# Timberline Fire and High Country Auxiliary Jump Into Action During Wind Emergency **Meta Title:** Gilpin County Wind Emergency: Timberline Fire Responds to 79 Calls | Register-Call **Meta Description:** Timberline Fire Protection District and High Country Auxiliary responded to unprecedented wind emergency December 17-22, with 79 calls including 19 fires. Community rallies to support first responders. **Slug:** gilpin-county-wind-emergency-timberline-fire-high-country-auxiliary **Keywords:** Timberline Fire Protection District, High Country Auxiliary, Gilpin County wind emergency, power outages Gilpin County, Paul Onder, Terri Miller, JKQ BBQ, Peak to Peak Market **Author:** Don Ireland, Senior Reporter **Date:** January 1, 2026 **Category:** Emergency Services, Community News, Gilpin County, Weather **Featured Image Alt Text:** Timberline Fire Protection District Chief Paul Onder in uniform --- ## Historic Wind Event Triggers Major Emergency Response Most Decembers, Gilpin County's first responders are busy responding to snowstorms and stranded vehicles as winter arrives in the region. However, unusually powerful winds caused the most problems this year in the county. Between Wednesday, Dec. 17, and Monday, Dec. 22, parts of the region were hit by near-hurricane-force winds of 100 miles per hour that toppled trees, knocked down power lines, and caused other problems. ### The Scope of the Emergency For example, some mid-county residents lost power to their homes on Wednesday, Dec. 17, and didn't get service back until Sunday, Dec. 21. Several Central City and Black Hawk residents and small businesses also experienced intermittent power outages. **Impact on Residents:** - Food spoiled in non-running refrigerators and freezers - Cellphone service didn't work for days in some areas - Trees blocked driveways, trapping residents at home - No electricity meant no heat in freezing temperatures ### Emergency Response by the Numbers Timberline Fire Protection District Chief Paul Onder told the Weekly Register-Call that the wind problems led to an increase in calls for assistance. "We are still writing reports and getting caught up, but preliminary numbers from Dec. 17 to Dec. 22, [2025], are **79 calls**, including: - **19 fires** (on utility poles, trees, wildland fires, camping sites, etc.) - **30 power or phone line issues** (no fire) - The rest were medical calls, motor vehicle accidents, carbon-monoxide reports, cut gas lines, etc." ### Community Warming Shelters The wind-related issues led the Gilpin County Sheriff's Office to open a warming shelter in the Gilpin County School complex. The Black Hawk Fire Department also opened its building to several people who wanted to charge their phones and other electronic devices because power was out at home. ## High Country Auxiliary Mobilizes Support News of Gilpin's wind-related issues also quickly reached Terri Miller, president of the High Country Auxiliary, the nonprofit that supports TPFD and Gilpin's other first responders. Miller and her husband, Eddie, were in Mississippi when they learned of the developing problems. ### Coordinating from 1,000 Miles Away As a result, Miller began calling HCA members and others—whose phone service or power wasn't out—to organize what could be done to help the first responders. "As president of HCA, I'm the first person that Timberline calls if they need our assistance," said Miller. "Fortunately, we didn't have any problems with our cellphone service down here. I was able to scramble and make phone calls—while a lot of our volunteers had no service, including cellphones or electricity." ### Peak to Peak Market Steps Up One of the calls Miller made was to Nicholas Spencer, who owns the Peak to Peak Market in Black Hawk. When Miller asked if Spencer had any premade sandwiches available, Spencer said his inventory had been quickly depleted by Gilpinites who came to the store after losing their refrigerator food. However, he offered to donate some of the bottled water, chips and snacks he had remaining to the HCA. "We had sold out our sandwiches probably within the first five or six hours after the wind situation started," recalled Spencer. "We told Terri to call JKQ BBQ! Eddie Miller got in contact with Larry Bradley, their chef. He made a bunch of pulled-pork sandwiches and other food. So, we got those, plus the cases of water and chips, up to the fire department." ### JKQ BBQ Provides Hot Meals At the time, JKQ and several other local businesses were closed due to the power failure. However, Bradley was able to cook the sandwiches on a gas stove. Kara Tinucci, who owns JKQ BBQ with her husband, Joe, estimated they supplied food for 25 first responders. Bradley, his family, and Spencer were among those who delivered the food to Timberline Fire Station 5 on Highway 119 in mid-county. ### Why Food Support Was Critical Recalled Onder, "We contacted HCA because the crews had been running call to call for 15 hours with no opportunity to cook or eat. HCA, in collaboration with JKQ Barbecue, provided food to all the crews as they continued responding, but they were able to throw down a few bites between calls." The next day, Larry Koppelman (HCA's vice president) brought burritos to the station. "This was awesome, as the crews were still extremely busy," Onder added. ### Community Gratitude Added Miller, "We rallied and got them fed. Those guys at JKQ are just the best. Clare Stone [HCA's vice president] was able to deliver some of the food to Station No. 5, and the guys were very, very happy." ## A Record-Breaking Year for Timberline Chief Onder provided additional context for the emergency response: "As of Dec. 26, we have responded to **148 calls in December**. We typically average 50-60 per month. Currently, we are at **803 calls in 2025**. Before that, our busiest year was 2017, with 756 calls." This represents a significant increase in emergency response activity, with December 2025 alone accounting for nearly 20% of the year's total calls. ### What Made This Emergency Different The wind emergency was particularly challenging because: 1. **Duration**: Five continuous days of high winds 2. **Widespread impact**: Affected entire county simultaneously 3. **Multiple hazards**: Fires, downed power lines, blocked roads 4. **Limited resources**: Crews couldn't rest between calls 5. **Infrastructure damage**: Made response more difficult ## About the Organizations ### Timberline Fire Protection District Timberline Fire Protection District serves Gilpin County with multiple stations and provides: - Fire suppression - Emergency medical services - Rescue operations - Hazardous materials response - Community education **Leadership:** - Chief Paul Onder (2023 Gilpin County Citizen of the Year) ### High Country Auxiliary The High Country Auxiliary is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Gilpin County's first responders. The organization: - Provides meals during extended emergencies - Supplies equipment and resources - Organizes community support - Fundraises for fire and EMS needs **Leadership:** - President: Terri Miller - Vice President: Larry Koppelman - Vice President: Clare Stone ## Community Partners ### JKQ BBQ & Grill - Owners: Kara and Joe Tinucci - Chef: Larry Bradley - Location: Gregory Street, Black Hawk - Provided: 25+ pulled-pork sandwiches and meals ### Peak to Peak Market & Liquors - Owner: Nicholas Spencer - Location: Black Hawk - Donated: Bottled water, chips, and snacks --- ## Weather Safety Tips for Gilpin County Residents ### Before High Wind Events: - Secure outdoor furniture and equipment - Trim dead tree branches - Charge all electronic devices - Stock emergency supplies (food, water, flashlights) - Have alternate heating source ready - Fill vehicle gas tanks ### During Wind Emergencies: - Stay indoors when possible - Avoid downed power lines (assume they're live) - Report fires and hazards immediately - Conserve phone battery - Check on neighbors safely - Listen to emergency broadcasts ### After the Storm: - Inspect property for damage - Document damage with photos - Report utility issues to providers - Avoid debris and damaged trees - Thank first responders and volunteers --- ## How to Support First Responders ### Donate to High Country Auxiliary The HCA accepts donations to support Gilpin County's emergency services. ### Volunteer Opportunities Contact local fire stations about volunteer firefighter programs and community support opportunities. ### Show Appreciation Thank first responders when you see them—they work tirelessly to keep our community safe. --- **Related Stories:** - [Paul Onder Named 2023 Gilpin County Citizen of the Year](#) - [Gilpin County Emergency Preparedness Guide](#) - [Power Outage Updates: Xcel Energy Response](#) - [Peak to Peak Rotary: 2023 Organization of the Year](#) **Emergency Contacts:** - Gilpin County Emergency: 911 - Timberline Fire (non-emergency): [Contact info] - Gilpin County Sheriff: [Contact info] - High Country Auxiliary: [Contact info] **Contact Information:** - Weekly Register-Call Newsroom: news@weeklyregistercall.com | 303-906-9902 - Report news tips: news.don.ireland@gmail.com --- *This story was originally published in the Weekly Register-Call print edition, January 1, 2026. The Weekly Register-Call is Colorado's oldest newspaper, established 1862. 2024 Colorado Press Association News Leader. Winner of 27 CPA awards in three years.*

Timberline Fire and High Country Auxiliary Jump Into Action During Wind Emergency

Patrick Henry Sweeney

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