Gunnison Volunteer Fire Department

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Gunnison Volunteer Fire Department PO Box 1717
Gunnison, CO 81230

Joel Ruehle is one of the Gunnison Fire Department's veterans. He's been a volunteer firefighter here for sixteen years,...
09/29/2026

Joel Ruehle is one of the Gunnison Fire Department's veterans. He's been a volunteer firefighter here for sixteen years, and the reason he signed up is the same one that's kept him coming back: "I felt like I needed to give back to our community."

By trade, Joel is a metal worker — hands-on, precise work that's served him well on the fireground. "It's given me a foundation for understanding tools and equipment," he says, the kind of practical know-how that pays off when seconds count.

Sixteen years in, Joel has a clear sense of what his neighbors tend to miss about the department: "I don't think many people realize that we staff and operate our department with a crew of volunteers. Every call, every drill, every piece of gear we maintain is handled by people who do it on their own time.”

Ask him what a new station would mean, and Joel keeps it grounded and honest: "Safety and comfort. The current station needs more space to safely accommodate the apparatus and it's cold in the winter and hot in the summer."

Thank you, Joel, for sixteen years of giving back and for the steady hands that keep this community safe.

Gunnison Homecoming Week is here!Some of our GVFD firefighters had the opportunity to join Gunnison High School students...
09/24/2026

Gunnison Homecoming Week is here!

Some of our GVFD firefighters had the opportunity to join Gunnison High School students at the “G” and help the junior class with one of Gunnison’s great Homecoming traditions—lighting the G!

We’re always glad to be part of traditions that bring our community together and support our local students.

We’ll see everyone Friday at 7:00 PM at Cowboy Memorial Stadium for the Homecoming game! Unfortunately, we won’t be able to fly the American flag from our ladder truck this year, as the truck is currently out of service for scheduled maintenance.

Have a great Homecoming Week, and go Cowboys!

Today, the Gunnison Volunteer Fire Department laced up our boots for our annual 9/11 Memorial Hike, this year marking th...
09/11/2026

Today, the Gunnison Volunteer Fire Department laced up our boots for our annual 9/11 Memorial Hike, this year marking the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001.

We climbed to remember the 2,977 lives lost that day, including the 343 firefighters who climbed into the World Trade Center so that others could make it out. Twenty-five years later, we carry their memory in every step and in the oath we renew each time we answer a call.

Every year we also honor losses closer to home. September 11 marks two other solemn dates in Gunnison's own history: eight high school football players and a coach in 1971, and we remember Jade and Rylie Tomlin who we lost way too soon. These were our friends and family — part of the fabric of this valley — and they will not be forgotten.

We remember them all: the firefighters and first responders who ran toward danger, the civilians who never made it home, and our own here in Gunnison. To every family still carrying that grief, our community stands with you.

Thank you to everyone who hiked alongside us today. We remember. We honor. We never forget.

Suggested tags:

NEVER FORGET!
09/11/2026

NEVER FORGET!

Meet "Gonzo" — Sales Clerk by day, Firefighter always.In the Garden Center at Walmart, you'll find Lionel "Gonzo" Garnes...
09/07/2026

Meet "Gonzo" — Sales Clerk by day, Firefighter always.

In the Garden Center at Walmart, you'll find Lionel "Gonzo" Garnes working with the same leadership and teamwork he brings to every call with GVFD. As a former athlete, Gonzo missed the camaraderie of being part of a team, so when the chance came to give back to his community as a volunteer firefighter, he took it.

Gonzo wants folks in the district to understand what volunteer firefighters actually do – the range of calls they respond to, and the hours of training they put in all year long, often without much notice from the community they serve.

That's part of why a new station means so much to him. He pictures a safer, up-to-date space where volunteers can gather, train, and eat without gear and rigs contaminating their living areas, plus sleeping quarters for volunteers who live outside city limits or have families at home, so no one has to choose between a late-night call and their kids.

Gonzo isn't just a firefighter. He's your neighbor, your sales clerk, your teammate — showing up when the call comes in.

Happy birthday to firefighter Sequoia Cohen! Out doing work even on her birthday. Quick stop for ice cream!!🎁
09/06/2026

Happy birthday to firefighter Sequoia Cohen! Out doing work even on her birthday. Quick stop for ice cream!!🎁

Did you know? We have 40 volunteer firefighters protecting 2,700 square miles — the largest response area of any fire de...
09/02/2026

Did you know? We have 40 volunteer firefighters protecting 2,700 square miles — the largest response area of any fire department in Colorado. From remote mountain roads to town neighborhoods, our volunteers show up day and night, in every kind of weather, without pay. Behind every call is a neighbor who chose to serve and we couldn't be prouder to have them.

We’re growing, and we’d love your help reaching even more of our community!The Gunnison Volunteer Fire Department curren...
09/02/2026

We’re growing, and we’d love your help reaching even more of our community!

The Gunnison Volunteer Fire Department currently has 4,081 followers on Facebook and 439 followers on Instagram. If you enjoy seeing what GVFD is up to—from emergency responses and training to wildfire assignments, community events, and fire safety information—make sure you’re following us on both platforms.

Already following? Help us out by liking, sharing, and inviting your friends and family to follow our pages. Every follow helps us reach more of the community with important information and gives us another way to share what your volunteer firefighters are doing throughout the year.

Thank you to everyone who already follows and supports GVFD. We appreciate having you along for the ride!

Volunteer Spotlight: Tyler HausFor Tyler Haus, firefighting is a family tradition three generations deep. His grandfathe...
08/31/2026

Volunteer Spotlight: Tyler Haus

For Tyler Haus, firefighting is a family tradition three generations deep. His grandfather, Dave, served on the Lookout Mountain Volunteer Fire Department, and his father gave 23 years to the Gunnison Department. Tyler grew up around it all — and the pull to help a neighbor at a moment's notice took hold early.

He's been doing exactly that for more than a decade: three years with Ohio City Fire (2015–2018) and eight years and counting with Gunnison Fire, both part of the Gunnison County Fire Protection District.

Ask him what people in the district don't realize about their fire department, and his answer is simple: "Many don't understand the volunteerism, the services we offer, and that at the end of the day, when there's no one else to call, the fire department is dispatched out."

A new fire station, to Tyler? "A well-deserved fresh and safe start. A place to prioritize our health and safety, with adequate space for meetings and trainings. A building the community can take pride in, and one that gives our outlying department firefighters the opportunity to run calls with us by giving them a place to stay. Which would really help with staffing and increasing experience."

Thank you, Tyler, for carrying a family tradition of service into its next generation — and for showing up when it matters most.

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PO Box 1717
Gunnison, CO
81230

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