NE Colorado RETAC

01/31/2026

Today was the final day of the 40-Hour Peer Support Academy in Sterling—and every participant completed their certification.

More importantly, today we officially launched the Northeast Colorado Regional Peer Support Team.

This wasn’t just a class. It was a commitment.

Over the past week, responders and frontline professionals from across rural northeastern Colorado came together to build something our region has needed for a long time: a culturally competent, evidence-based peer support network designed specifically for all badges, uniforms, and scrubs.

This team understands that first responders are different—not in weakness, but in exposure, physiology, culture, and how stress and trauma accumulate over time. The work ahead is about prevention, early connection, and credible peer-led support, especially in communities where local resources may be limited or nonexistent.

We are deeply grateful to Karen and Joanne from First Responder Trauma Services for sharing their experience, insight, and evidence-based approach. Their guidance helped shape not just a course, but a stronger, more resilient region—and their work sets a standard that should be replicated far beyond Colorado.

Watching this group finish strong—ready to serve their peers and their communities—has been deeply meaningful and incredibly hopeful.

This is how we take care of our people.
This is how we build regional capacity where it matters most.
And this is only the beginning.

Thank you to everyone who showed up, leaned in, and committed to being there for others.



CountySheriff’s Office
County Sheriff’s Office
County Ambulance Service

01/28/2026

When the math of survival doesn’t work, even the strongest communities struggle.

A recent Sky-Hi News analysis highlights a challenge facing Jackson County—and many rural and frontier communities across Northeast Colorado: retaining a public safety workforce when wages, benefits, housing, and cost of living no longer align.

In Jackson County, pay for essential roles like 911 dispatch remains near the bottom of Colorado’s statutory tiers, while the county’s cost of living sits much closer to the middle of the state. Dispatchers earning $20–$21/hour are navigating living costs that exceed what those wages can reasonably support—before accounting for recent increases in health insurance premiums and the scarcity of workforce housing.

The impacts are real:
• High turnover in critical safety-net positions
• Long vacancies that strain remaining staff
• Increased risk to response times in a large, rural county where backup resources are limited

When a small population is paired with long-standing reluctance to invest in government services, the result is predictable: essential public safety systems fall behind the true cost of operating them.

This isn’t unique to Jackson County. It reflects a broader rural challenge across Colorado, where structural funding limitations collide with modern economic realities.

At NCRETAC, we view workforce stability as system readiness. Sustainable EMS, trauma, and emergency communications systems require regional, state, and policy-level solutions that better align funding, compensation, and benefits with the environments in which these services operate.

We appreciate Sky-Hi News for bringing data and nuance to this important conversation. These issues deserve thoughtful discussion and collaborative problem-solving across local, regional, and state partners.

📖 Read the full story: “The math of survival: Why Jackson County is losing its workforce” (Sky-Hi News, Jan 26, 2026)

The math of survival: Why Jackson County is losing its workforce

For the public servants of Jackson County, the new year hasn’t brought a fresh start, but rather a calculation of deepening loss. As regional costs surge and insurance premiums spike, the very people who keep the county running are finding that the numbers simply no longer add up.

The widening wage gap
Jackson County’s struggle to retain employees occurs alongside a significant wage gap. Neighboring counties offer substantially higher pay for similar public roles. According to the MIT Living Wage Calculator, a single adult without dependents in Jackson County requires $21.55 per hour to cover basic necessities.

Yet, current payroll records for the Sheriff’s Office show that many entry-level dispatchers are earning between $20.00 and $21.00 per hour. Since 2023, the dispatch division alone has seen 13 departures.

Link in comments.

01/27/2026

🌅 Day 2 of 5 — National Peer Support Academy

Another cold Eastern Plains morning, another full room in Sterling as this cohort of rural Colorado first responders continues the 40-hour National Peer Support Academy.

Today builds on the foundation—moving deeper into listening, boundaries, ethics, and the realities of supporting peers in high-stress, high-consequence environments. This isn’t abstract theory. It’s practical, experience-driven work for the people who show up when systems are strained.

Once again, grateful to Joanne and Karen from for bringing decades of grounded, real-world insight to this space. Investing in peer support is investing in the longevity of our workforce—especially in rural and frontier EMS.

01/27/2026

🌅 -11° and sunrise over Briggsdale
An early morning on the Eastern Plains, heading to Sterling for day one of the 40-hour National Peer Support Academy.

Two dozen students from rural Colorado are gathered for the first academy of its kind on the Eastern Plains—building peer support capacity where it’s needed most.

The mental health of our first responders and frontline workers isn’t optional. It’s foundational to system resilience, provider longevity, and patient care—especially in rural and frontier communities.

Grateful to Joanne and Karen from First Responder Trauma Services for sharing wisdom rooted in decades of real-world experience and service. This work matters. These people matter. 💙


City of Yuma Ambulance Service
Sterling Fire Department
Sterling Police Department
Logan County Sheriff's Office - Colorado
Sedgwick County Government
Melissa Memorial Hospital
Wray Community District Hospital
Children's Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs

01/24/2026

NCRETAC | Behavioral Health Crisis Response in Rural & Frontier Colorado

Colorado is working to better understand how communities respond to behavioral health crises — and how those responses are funded.

Through SB25-042, state partners are gathering input from EMS, fire, law enforcement, hospitals, and behavioral health providers to identify what’s working, where gaps exist, and how reimbursement can better support crisis response — including treatment-in-place.

For rural and frontier regions like Northeast Colorado, this matters. EMS is often the default safety net, with limited local resources and long transport distances. Capturing that reality is critical to statewide planning.

We encourage regional partners to consider participating, including:
👉 Thompson Valley EMS
👉 Greeley Fire Department - Greeley, Colorado
👉 UCHealth EMS
👉 Jackson County Sheriff's Office - Colorado
👉 Larimer County Sheriff's Office
👉 Weld County Government
👉 Morgan County Ambulance Service - MCAS
👉 Logan County Sheriff's Office - Colorado
👉 Fort Collins Police Services
👉 Hospital and behavioral health partners across our region

Participation starts with a brief collaboration form (~3 minutes), with optional virtual focus groups to follow.

Let’s make sure rural and frontier voices are part of this conversation.

01/22/2026

This week, the NCRETAC Board of Directors gathered for a productive (and genuinely enjoyable) retreat to talk about the future direction of EMS and trauma care across Northeast Colorado. Alongside the strategic discussions, we had valuable time to connect, build relationships, and deepen our understanding of each other’s perspectives across a very large and diverse region.

We’re especially grateful to Fort Collins Police Services for hosting us and for the behind-the-scenes tour of their 9-1-1 Telecommunications Center. It was inspiring to see the many ways they support and care for their telecommunicators—the first first responders—who are so critical to everything that follows an emergency call.

Strong systems are built on strong relationships, and this week reinforced just how important that is. Thank you to our board members and partners for the energy, collaboration, and commitment you bring to this work.

City of Yuma Ambulance Service
Thompson Valley EMS

01/18/2026

Robots. Drones. Minutes that mean the difference between life and death.

In cardiac arrest, the brain can suffer irreversible injury in 6–10 minutes. Severe bleeding can be fatal just as fast. In those moments, triage—figuring out who needs help first—is everything.

That’s why the work coming out of Pittsburgh matters.

Team Chiron, led in part by Leonard Weiss, MD at the University of Pittsburgh, is developing an autonomous system using robotic dogs and drones to help emergency responders triage patients in dangerous or inaccessible scenes. The project is part of a multi-year challenge supported by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), with collaborators from Carnegie Mellon University.

So far, the system has shown >85% reliability in identifying life-threatening conditions like massive hemorrhage, respiratory distress, and head trauma—even as testing expands into smoky, dark, and nighttime environments.

The goal isn’t to replace paramedics. It’s to buy time and keep responders safe when scenes are too hazardous to enter immediately—while still getting critical information to human teams as fast as possible.

There’s also a powerful legacy here. Pittsburgh is where modern EMS took root with Freedom House Enterprises in 1968. Decades later, the city is still pushing prehospital care forward.

Someday soon, robots may be part of EMS teams—not instead of people, but working for them.

🎥 Watch the CBS News video story to see Team Chiron in action. (Link in comments)

01/18/2026

📺 Authentic… but Definitely Not a Documentary

Code 3, starring Rainn Wilson, just hit #1 on Hulu—and people are calling it “authentic.”

Important clarification: this is a comedy, not a docudrama.

That said, even humorous takes can get the feel of emergency medicine right—the chaos, the teamwork, the personalities, and the pressure. When shows respect the work (while still having fun), it helps the public better understand what emergency care actually looks like.

Worth a watch. Definitely worth the conversation.

🔗 https://screenrant.com/code-3-hulu-streaming-success-january-2026/

It ranks 1st for today.

01/16/2026

Bringing Health Care Into the Community — Community Paramedicine in Colorado

Community Integrated Health Care Services (CIHCS), often delivered through Community Paramedic programs, are changing how care is provided in Colorado. These programs allow specially trained paramedics to deliver non-emergency, out-of-hospital care — including health assessments, follow-up after hospital discharge, chronic disease support, and connections to local health and social services.

Instead of waiting for emergencies, community paramedics help patients stay healthier at home, reduce unnecessary 911 calls and ER visits, and close gaps in access to care — especially for vulnerable and rural populations.

NCRETAC is proud to support and promote these innovative models across our region and statewide. We’re excited to share the work of Greeley Fire Department - Greeley, Colorado and their Squad 101 mobile clinic, a great example of how community paramedicine brings care directly to the people who need it most.

👏🚑 Thank you to the teams making this possible.


EMSAC - Emergency Medical Services Association of Colorado
Colorado Chapter of National Association of EMS Physicians

01/14/2026

Governor Jared Polis is absolutely right.

Colorado’s emergency responders are increasingly being put at risk by distracted and careless driving. Too many medics, firefighters, law enforcement officers, tow operators, and highway workers are being struck while simply doing their jobs on our roadways.

The Move Over Law isn’t optional—and it isn’t complicated. When you see emergency responders or road crews:
• Slow down
• Move over

That simple action creates a safer workspace and saves lives.

These professionals are someone’s family member, colleague, or neighbor. They deserve to go home at the end of their shift. Let’s do our part to make that happen.

EMSAC - Emergency Medical Services Association of Colorado Colorado Chapter of National Association of EMS Physicians

Colorado’s emergency responders are being put at risk by distracted driving. Too many are being struck while doing their jobs on our roads. Please remember Colorado’s Move Over Law: slow down and move over when you see emergency responders or road crews. It’s a simple action that saves lives.

01/13/2026

We are proud to share the impact of a cutting-edge trauma care initiative here in Northern Colorado.

Thompson Valley EMS, in partnership with UCHealth EMS, has marked one year of implementing a prehospital whole blood program that delivers life-saving whole blood transfusions to critically injured patients before they even reach the hospital. This early intervention has significantly improved patient outcomes and given more members of our community a fighting chance in severe trauma situations. 

NCRETAC is honored to have funded and supported this program — a key advancement in emergency medical services that aligns with our mission to enhance trauma care systems across the region and state.

By investing in this initiative, we helped expand access to advanced lifesaving care, support training and equipment procurement, and strengthen collaboration between EMS agencies and health systems. 

Whole blood transfusion in the field is one of the most meaningful advances in pre-hospital care in decades. It provides patients with the blood components they need — red cells, plasma, and platelets — when every minute matters. 

Read the full story here: https://www.reporterherald.com/2025/12/23/thompson-valley-ems-uc-health-whole-blood-program-one-year-save-lives/

Thank you to Thompson Valley EMS, UCHealth EMS, the UCHealth Garth Englund Blood Center, community blood donors, and all who make innovations like this possible. Together, we’re strengthening emergency care so that Colorado residents and visitors get the best possible chance at survival when it matters most.

A year ago, UCHealth and Thompson Valley EMS launched a program that allows patients to receive whole blood transfusions before they even step foot into a hospital.